Arrest warrants issued for two adults in search for five missing Fitchburg kids

Fitchburg police say a woman reported missing with her five children earlier this week is now wanted for kidnapping. 

Ruth Encarnacion and another adult, Isael Rivera, are both wanted on warrants for five counts of custodial kidnapping of a minor by a relative, the Fitchburg Police Department said in a press release Thursday. The two adults and five children, ranging in age from 10 years to 9 months old, are believed to be traveling in a black 2018 Infiniti QX60 with the Massachusetts license plate 5GCX18, according to the release.

The children, all of whom share the last name Rivera, live with Encarnacion and Rivera, police said. 

Police said they launched an investigation after Encarnacion was reported missing Monday. The state’s Department of Children and Families reported her five children missing two days later, prompting Massachusetts State Police troopers from the Worcester County District Attorney’s Office to join the search.

“Although Police explored the possibility of an AMBER Alert, AMBER Alerts are not intended for missing child incidents involving parental kidnapping or child custody situations that lack specific information about the children in imminent danger of serious bodily harm or death,” Fitchburg police explained. 

The department is urging anyone with information on the family’s whereabouts to contact detectives at 978-345-9650.

Abby Patkin

Staff Writer

Abby Patkin is a general assignment news reporter whose work touches on public transit, crime, health, and everything in between.