Leonard Cartaya Varela Missing Person Case

Jan 28, 2026

Jan 28, 2026

Leonard

Cartaya Varela

21

12

Hispanic / Latino

Male

In the quiet town of Leesburg, Virginia, a family was forever changed on May 18, 2017. On that day, three-year-old Leonard Gerald Cartaya Varela, a young boy with brown hair and brown eyes, disappeared. He was a Hispanic male, and his sudden absence created a void filled with questions and concern. Leonard was not alone when he vanished; he was with his six-year-old sister, Andreva Alessa Cartaya Varela, and their mother, Andrea Varela Crespo. The last place they were seen was their home in the 700 block of Vermillion Drive NE, a detail that marks the starting point of an ongoing search. The circumstances surrounding their disappearance point to a complex family situation. Authorities believe that Leonard and his sister were abducted by their non-custodial mother, Andrea Varela Crespo. At the time of the disappearance, Andrea was thirty-four years old, a Hispanic female with black hair and brown eyes. This information led to the issuance of a missing persons report, not just for a lost child, but for two children believed to be in the company of their mother under contentious circumstances. The case has been documented by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which has circulated age-progressed photos of the children to give the public a better idea of what they might look like as they grow older. Years have passed since Leonard and his sister were last seen in their Leesburg home. The investigation has led authorities to believe that Andrea Varela Crespo may have left the United States with the children and possibly traveled to Mexico. This international dimension adds a significant layer of complexity to the search efforts. Despite the passage of time, law enforcement agencies, including the Leesburg Police Department, continue to ask for the public's help, emphasizing that any piece of information could be crucial. The case of Leonard Cartaya Varela is a heart-wrenching story of a childhood interrupted, a family divided, and a search that crosses borders, fueled by the hope that one day he and his sister will be found safe.

May 18, 2017

Leesburg

Virginia

07/19/2026