Deceased father named as suspect in death of 3-year-old Bay Area girl; mom feared for her safety

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Investigators in San Jose on Tuesday identified the suspect in the death of a 3-year-old girl as her father, according to police.

Jared Lorenzo, 42, died by suicide in San Francisco on Friday. The girl, Ellie Lorenzo, was last seen alive with her father, who had custody of her, on Thursday around 6 p.m. at his apartment in Fremont, according to police.

RELATED: San Jose police investigating death of 3-year-old Ellie Lorenzo as a homicide

San Jose police believe the body of a girl found at a recycling facility belongs to Ellie Lorenzo.

Investigators believe Lorenzo drove to San Jose early the next morning, removed Ellie's body from the trunk of his vehicle and disposed of Ellie's body in a trash receptacle.

This receptacle was emptied and unknowingly transferred to the recycling facility where Ellie's body was found Saturday, police added. The girl was then positively identified on Monday as a child who went missing from Fremont, according to a Santa Clara County medical examiner.

RELATED: Mother of Ellie Lorenzo confirms death of missing 3-year-old daughter

The death of missing 3-year-old Ellie Lorenzo has been confirmed by her family on Saturday.

Police also said Lorenzo likely drove to multiple neighboring Bay Area cities before stopping in San Francisco, where he was found deceased shortly after 11 a.m. Friday.

Ellie's death was San Jose's 19th homicide of 2024.

RELATED: Fremont police looking for missing 3-year-old girl

Fremont police are trying to locate a missing 3-year-old Ellie Lorenzo whose father died Friday.

Ellie's mother, Chyrstal Obi, said in a statement on Tuesday she feared for her daughter Ellie's safety anytime Ellie visited her father, Jared Lorenzo.

Obi even took action to try to protect Ellie.

The statement reads in part, "I wanted desperately for her constant supervision and safety each time she was with him for court ordered visitation. Last week, on Tuesday I finally received confirmation that the courts would allow me to move with Ellie out of state, of which he also became aware."

The motive and circumstances, as well as the manner of Ellie's death, remain under investigation.

Ellie's family has set up a GoFundMe to help with her funeral expenses.

KGO-TV/ABC7 News contributed to this report