Joliet Elizabeth Cedano, a biracial female infant born on April 17, 2006, was reported missing from Palmdale, California, on September 11, 2006. At just under five months old—approximately 1 foot 11 inches tall and weighing about 10 pounds—Joliet was last seen wearing blue denim overalls and a red‑and‑white shirt while at William J. McAdam Park near Avenue R and 30th Street East, accompanied by her foster mother.
According to law enforcement records and multiple case dossiers, a Hispanic man abducted Joliet by forcibly taking her from the park and fleeing in a maroon or red 1989 Buick Regal bearing California plate number 2MFC968. The suspect was later apprehended the same day but did not have Joliet with him at the time. He reportedly told authorities that he had handed the infant over to her biological mother, Maria Cedano Ayala later identified as Maria Ayala. A felony kidnapping warrant was issued for Maria on September 12, 2006, followed by an FBI warrant for unlawful flight to avoid prosecution on July 17, 2007.
Maria Ayala—born January 5, 1963 and aged around 44 at the time—had lost custody of Joliet at birth due to neonatal drug addiction. She is described as Hispanic, approximately 5′5″ and 150 lbs, with blonde or brown hair and brown eyes. Ayala may go by the surnames Cedano or Cruz‑Cena and is known to have a tattoo on her left ankle.
Law enforcement agencies believe that Joliet and Maria may have fled to Mexico. They may have been traveling in either a black 2000 Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck or a blue 1995 Mercury Marquis sedan .
Authorities and missing‑person registries, including NamUs continue to classify this as a family abduction. Regular age‑progression images have been issued by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children most recently showing what Joliet might look like as a teenager; at the time of these images, she would have been around 15 or 16 years old in the early 2020s.
Despite early arrests and warrants, Joliet’s whereabouts remain unknown. No confirmed recovery has occurred, and the case remains open. Investigators urge anyone with information—especially those in Mexico or along the U.S.–Mexico border—to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office, which is handling the primary investigation .
Although agencies differ on whether the abduction occurred in Palmdale proper or the neighboring Lake Los Angeles area, most sources locate the incident at William J. McAdam Park in Palmdale. The case has been updated sporadically over the years; as of mid‑2022, key information such as adult age‑progressions and suspect photos have remained relevant but unresolved.
In summary: less than five‑month‑old Joliet Elizabeth Cedano disappeared on September 11, 2006, during what is presumed to be a familial abduction orchestrated by her non‑custodial mother via an intermediary male suspect. Despite warrants and public appeals, the child has never been recovered, and continued efforts rely on age‑progressed imagery and public tips to help locate her.Last Seen: Sep 11, 2006
