Vigil held for Pearl Pinson, kidnapped Vallejo girl last seen 9 years ago

Vigil in honor of Pearl Pinson, kidnapped on her way to school

Sunday marks eight years since 15-year-old Pearl Pinson was kidnapped on her way to school in Vallejo. Pearl was walking to her bus stop when witnesses say she was suddenly dragged into a car.

VALLEJO, Calif. - A family gathered in Vallejo on Sunday, almost a decade after 15-year-old Pearl Pinson was kidnapped while on her way to school.

Despite it being nine years since she disappeared at age 15, her family and friends never given up trying to find out what happened to her.

"I mean there's nothing worse than your child never coming home," family friend Bridget Doherty, said on Sunday. "You think they're going to come home from school and they don't make it to school. And then here we are nine years later, and I think it's very important to keep her case active, to keep her name out there, to keep her face out there."

The backstory:

In 2016, witnesses said Pearl was dragged into a car while she was walking to a bus stop one morning.

Police identified a suspect – 19-year-old Fernando Castro, who had no known connection to her -- but he was killed in an unrelated shootout with police in Santa Barbara, leaving many unanswered questions.

Local perspective:

In 2022, Pearl's mother, Annie Pinson, died from complications of liver and kidney problems.

What's next:

The Solano County Sheriff's Office's investigation into her kidnapping remains open, and authorities ask anyone with information about the case to contact their tip line at (707) 784-1963.