Sacramento mother missing with infant for nearly a month had an outstanding warrant

INTO JAIL FOR SEVERAL FELONIES. WE’VE NOW LEARNED THE SACRAMENTO MOM, WHO VANISHED WITH HER EIGHT MONTH OLD, HAD A WARRANT OUT FOR HER ARREST. THE SURVEILLANCE VIDEO SHOWS THE VEHICLE OF WHISPER OWN AND BABY SANDRA MCCARTY IN WATERFORD, MUCH FARTHER NORTH THAN PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT. AND DID YOU NOTICE THAT BROKEN HEADLIGHT RIGHT THERE? THIS VIDEO WAS TAKEN JULY 15TH, THE SAME DAY WHISPER AND SANDRA WERE DRIVING HOME TO SACRAMENTO FROM FRESNO. INVESTIGATORS NOW BELIEVE THE TWO MADE IT TO WATERFORD. THEN HIGHWAY 120 EAST OF ESCALON. THAT’S TAKING BACK ROADS, AND IT’S ROUGHLY 50 MILES NORTH OF ATWATER, MERCED COUNTY, WHICH WAS PREVIOUSLY REPORTED AS THE LAST PLACE THEIR SUV WAS SPOTTED. LIVECOPTER3 WAS OVERHEAD ON FRIDAY AS A SHERIFF’S TEAM DRAGGED A CANAL THAT RUNS ACROSS HIGHWAY 120 NEAR ESCALON. THEY DID NOT FIND ANYTHING. NOW, WE ASKED WHISPER OWEN’S FAMILY, IF THERE WAS A REASON SHE WOULD DRIVE THOSE BACKROADS INSTEAD OF TAKING A DIRECT ROUTE FROM FRESNO ON HIGHWAY 99, AND THEY SAID SHE HAD A WARRANT FOR HER ARREST, AND WITH A BROKEN HEADLIGHT, SHE MAY HAVE WANTED TO AVOID GETTING PULLED OVER. SO KCRA THREE INVESTIGATES CONFIRMED. WITH THE SACRAMENTO COUNTY DA’S OFFICE, SHE DOES HAVE AN OUTSTANDING WARRANT TIED TO A 2022 CHILD ABUSE CASE. THE DA’S OFFICE SAYS. OWEN PLEADED NO CONTEST TO FELONY CHILD ABUSE IN 2021 AND WAS ORDERED TO DO A WORK PROJECT, BUT SHE NEVER COMPLETED IT, AND A JUDGE THEN ISSUED THAT WA

Updated: 5:34 PM PDT Aug 11, 2025

Editorial Standards ⓘ

Updated: 5:34 PM PDT Aug 11, 2025

Editorial Standards ⓘ

Whisper Owen, a Sacramento mother who disappeared with her 8-month-old baby, Sandra McCarty, had a warrant out for her arrest, according to court records. Newly obtained surveillance footage shows Owen's vehicle in Waterford, much farther north than previously thought, with a broken headlight. The video was taken on July 15, the same day Owen and her infant were driving home to Sacramento from Fresno.Investigators now believe Owen and her baby made it to Waterford and then traveled on Highway 120, east of Escalon. This route, which involves taking backroads, is roughly 50 miles north of Atwater in Merced County, previously reported as the last place their SUV was spotted.A sheriff's team searched a canal running across Highway 120 near Escalon on Friday but did not find anything. See more here. Owen's family suggested she might have taken backroads to avoid being pulled over due to her broken headlight and the warrant for her arrest.KCRA 3 Investigates confirmed with the Sacramento County District Attorney's Office that Owen has an outstanding warrant tied to a 2020 child abuse case. The District Attorney's office said Owen pleaded no contest to felony child abuse in 2021 and was ordered to complete a work project, which she never did, leading to the issuance of the warrant. Owen and her baby have been missing for 27 days.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

Whisper Owen, a Sacramento mother who disappeared with her 8-month-old baby, Sandra McCarty, had a warrant out for her arrest, according to court records.

Newly obtained surveillance footage shows Owen's vehicle in Waterford, much farther north than previously thought, with a broken headlight. The video was taken on July 15, the same day Owen and her infant were driving home to Sacramento from Fresno.

Investigators now believe Owen and her baby made it to Waterford and then traveled on Highway 120, east of Escalon. This route, which involves taking backroads, is roughly 50 miles north of Atwater in Merced County, previously reported as the last place their SUV was spotted.

A sheriff's team searched a canal running across Highway 120 near Escalon on Friday but did not find anything. See more here.

Owen's family suggested she might have taken backroads to avoid being pulled over due to her broken headlight and the warrant for her arrest.

KCRA 3 Investigates confirmed with the Sacramento County District Attorney's Office that Owen has an outstanding warrant tied to a 2020 child abuse case.

The District Attorney's office said Owen pleaded no contest to felony child abuse in 2021 and was ordered to complete a work project, which she never did, leading to the issuance of the warrant.

Owen and her baby have been missing for 27 days.

See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

Sacramento mother missing with infant for nearly a month had an outstanding warrant

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