Woman who is missing with daughter suffers from mental illness, child's father says

Mother, daughter last seen Wednesday, hours after marriage counseling session

MIAMI – A South Florida woman who was reported missing along with her 2-year-old daughter suffers from mental illness, the toddler’s father told Local 10 News on Monday.

Miami police said Isabella Alada was last seen Wednesday with her mother in the 2200 block of Southwest 37th Avenue.

Aaron Lester said he came home to their apartment at Milagro Coral Gables in Miami and found the two of them gone.

"This is not a situation that any parent should have to be in," Lester said.  

Lester said his wife, Russell Alada, 27, left with a small suitcase, but did not take her medication, clothes or diapers for their daughter with her.

Lester has been passing out fliers in hopes that someone knows where his daughter is.

According to Lester, his wife and daughter disappeared hours after the couple had a stressful marriage therapy session.

Lester said the counselor said some things that challenged Alada's viewpoints, which may have overwhelmed her. 

He said she wasn't the same on the car ride home and wasn't talking. 

"I think that she has challenges that make the world a scarier place," Lester said. 

The couple's daughter has been seeing a psychologist at Nicklaus Children's Hospital to help deal with her mother's condition, Lester said.

Lester said Alada disappeared before in her native country, the Philippines, when she was pregnant. He said she was found several days later living in a 24-hour McDonald's restaurant.

Lester fears that his wife and daughter are in danger, and said that he just wants them to come home.

"Don't worry about feeling uncomfortable about talking to a policeman or talking to a doctor or a nurse. I think that everyone in the community wants to help Isabella get home," he said. 

Anyone with information about Alada and Isabella's whereabouts is asked to call the Miami Police Department at 305-603-6300. 
 


About the Authors:

Amanda Batchelor is the Digital Executive Producer for Local10.com.