Cuban singer and entertainer, Juan Alberto Rodríguez Roldán, known professionally as Chepo la Salsa, initiated an urgent campaign on social media this past weekend to locate his niece, Samantha Martha Ramirez Roldán. The 13-year-old girl has been missing in Las Vegas since November 12 at 4:00 PM.
The young girl was last seen in the bustling tourist area of Fremont Street in the city's historic downtown, and her family has received no updates on her location since then.
Based in Las Vegas, Chepo la Salsa shared at least three videos and a bilingual poster on his Facebook account, featuring photos of the teenager. The main video has garnered over 37,000 views and has been widely shared among the Cuban and Latin communities in the city.
"My people, this is an urgent matter I’m asking for help with, please: my niece Samantha has been missing for two days," the visibly distressed artist stated in one of the messages he posted on Friday.
In another video, the singer mentioned that the family is in touch with the Las Vegas police. However, authorities have not issued an Amber Alert, as this protocol requires evidence that the child is in imminent danger or has been abducted.
"The alert is not issued until they see that she is in danger, or if it’s a case of abduction, so that alert won’t be activated," Chepo explained.
According to the artist, the last information they received was that Samantha was at a local park with a friend, who also did not come forward to speak with the authorities.
"The last known whereabouts were that she was at a park with another little friend, who is also not around right now, she left and didn’t want to give a statement," he detailed.
The girl’s mother also appeared in one of the videos, sending a heartfelt message directly to her daughter.
"If you see this video, your entire family is looking for you. We love you, don’t feel bad; everyone loves you, nobody has stopped loving you, we are waiting for you," the woman expressed.
The search poster distributed by Chepo la Salsa is bilingual—available in both English and Spanish—and includes two photographs of Samantha, who has dark curly afro hair and was wearing a pink t-shirt when she disappeared.
Anyone with information about the teenager's whereabouts is urged to call 911 or the family's direct line at (702) 589-1496.
Similar cases of Cubans in the diaspora turning to social media to find missing relatives are frequent in the United States, where the Latin community uses these platforms as a tool for alerting others in urgent situations. The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department has a specialized unit for missing persons dedicated to handling such cases.
"Help me find my niece, poor thing, she’s only 13 years old, I’m asking from the heart, share it across all pages, all around the world," pleaded Chepo la Salsa in his call to the community.
Information on Missing Persons and Amber Alerts in Las Vegas
What should you do if you have information about Samantha's whereabouts?
If you have any information regarding Samantha's location, please contact 911 or the family's direct line at (702) 589-1496.
Why hasn't an Amber Alert been issued for Samantha?
An Amber Alert hasn't been activated because there is no evidence that Samantha is in imminent danger or has been abducted, which are requirements for issuing such an alert.
What role does social media play in locating missing persons?
Social media is a vital tool used by communities to quickly spread information and alerts about missing persons, helping to reach a wider audience in urgent situations.