'Ellie was stolen from me,' says mom of slain 3-year-old. Father, also dead, is a suspect

The San José Police Department says the father of 3-year-old Ellie Lorenzo — who was found dead at a recycling center — is a suspect in her slaying.

Ellie's mother told The Times in a statement Tuesday that, before the girl's death, her father had discovered that she was moving with the child to another state.

Police identified the father as Jared Lorenzo, 42. His body was found last week — not long before the girl's body was found at the recycling facility. Police have said the man's death was an apparent suicide.

Authorities said that the investigation into Ellie's death is ongoing but that Ellie was last seen alive with her father on the evening of July 11. The next morning, Lorenzo left his Fremont, Calif., apartment and drove to San José and dumped her body in a "trash receptacle," according to police.

A garbage company later emptied the receptacle, transferring its contents to the recycling center, where Ellie's body was found. After disposing of his daughter's body, police said, Lorenzo drove to multiple Bay Area cities before stopping in San Francisco, where he was found dead.

Authorities have not released a motive.

Chrystal Obi, the girl's mother, offered one explanation in her statement, in which she expressed anger over the death of her daughter and lambasted the court system she said allowed it to happen.

Obi said she constantly feared for Ellie's safety with her father, but the courts "continued to grant him partial custody and access."

“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.”

She said on Thursday morning — in the Bay Area city of Mountain View, where they made their home and Ellie attended preschool — she kissed her daughter goodbye, telling her she loved her before the girl left with her father on "court ordered visitation."

“But my daughter never returned."

Obi said she and the family had been experiencing overwhelming pain and grief.

“We humbly ask for privacy as we grieve the heartbreaking loss of our sweet Ellie.”

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times .