Amber Alert on standby

An Amber Alert for a missing Fernley girl has been put on standby because authorities believe she is in Mexico with her suspected abductor, a convicted sex offender.

Lyon County Sheriff's Detective Rob Hall said should information arise that puts Lydia Bethany-Rose Rupp, 8, back in the United States, the Amber Alert will be reactivated within 10 minutes.

Authorities believe Fernando Aguero, 47, who lived with Lydia and her mother, Carmen Bauer, at a Fernley mobile home park, abducted Lydia between 6 a.m. and 3 p.m. Friday while Bauer was at work.

Bauer and Aguero met in April at a church gathering. Their relationship has been described as boyfriend-girlfriend, but they did not share a bedroom.

Lt. John Arndell said Aguero's sister and mother in Las Vegas both heard from Aguero over the weekend and he admitted having Lydia.

He allegedly told the women he'd turn her over to a "good Christian family."

Lt. John Arndell said Tuesday that investigators have received several unsubstantiated sightings of Aguero in the Tijuana and Ensenada area.

"(Federal officials) are setting up to send the flyers through every post office box in that area and flood that market with his picture," Arndell said.

Aguero was convicted of lewd and lascivious behavior with a child under 14 in Los Angeles County in 1985.

Arndell said the charges stem from the sexual molestations of two female relatives under 10 years old.

n Contact reporter F.T. Norton at ftnorton@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1213.