Juan and his mother, Christina Torres, were going through hard times shortly after his birth and lived at the Senator Hotel in the 700 block of South Spring Street in downtown Los Angeles, California. On the morning of August 2, 1987, Torres had a job interview and left her son in the care of a babysitter whom she knew only as "Maria". Torres was supposed to meet Maria and the baby that afternoon in Pershin Park Square in the 500 block of South Olive Street. This was three blocks from the Senator Hotel. When she arrived for the meeting, however, there was no one there. Maria has never been identified and authorities believe she abducted Juan to raise him herself or to give or sell him to someone who would. She may have also used the name Teresa Anderson, and she is described as white with reddish-blonde hair. She may have been linked to the Chico Lomas gang.