California Missing Kids' Dad Begs Suspect to 'Let My Daughter Go'
Brett Anderson's emotional plea made no mention of his missing son.
Aug. 7, 2013— -- While authorities in San Diego wait on DNA test results to determine if remains found in a scorched California home belong to one of two children for which an Amber Alert was issued, the childrens' father pleaded with the suspect to surrender.
James Lee DiMaggio, 40, of Boulevard, Calif., is suspected of killing Christina Anderson, 44, and abducting one or both of her children, Hannah, 16, and Ethan, 8, according to a San Diego County Sheriff's Department news release.
The children's father, Brett Anderson, made no mention of his son when he issued an emotional plea to DiMaggio on Tuesday, asking that his teenage daughter be released.
"I'm begging you to let my daughter go. You've taken everything else," Anderson said at a news conference. "Hannah, we all love you very much. If you have a chance, you take it. You run. You'll be found."
Angelina Amati, a family friend of the Andersons', told ABC News' affiliate KGTV that DiMaggio had a crush on Hannah Anderson.
"I honestly believe that Jim has snapped and couldn't handle the infatuation that he had with Hannah," she told KGTV.
The Anderson children were last seen at about 5 p.m. on Saturday, Lt. Glenn Giannantonio with the San Diego County Sheriff's Department told ABCNews.com.
About 8 p.m. Sunday, fire officials were called to put out a blaze at DiMaggio's Boulevard, Calif., home and its detached garage.
Inside one of the burning buildings, they found the mother's body, police said. Authorities said Anderson had been murdered, but would not provide additional details.
Investigators also found a dead dog and the body of a child while searching the burned buildings, according to the sheriff's department.
The body of the child found was so badly burned, investigators were unable to tell if it was a boy or a girl, Giannantonio said.
Anderson's body and the body of the child found were taken today to the San Diego County Medical Examiner's office for autopsies, Giannantonio said.
DiMaggio and Christina Anderson "were in a close platonic relationship," according to the sheriff's department.
"My understanding is that it wouldn't be unusual for her to be [at his home] with the children," Giannantonio said.
DiMaggio was last seen driving a blue Nissan Versa with California license plates, is believed to be heading to either Texas or Canada, according to California Highway Patrol.