03/08/2026
Derick Ortega, a 20 year old man from Hesperia in San Bernardino County, California, was reported missing after leaving his family home on March 5, 2026, under unusual circumstances. He has not been seen or heard from since.
Derick is described as approximately 5’6”, 170 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. At the time he disappeared, he was wearing a burgundy sweatshirt, brown trousers, and a black hat. He lives with his family in Hesperia, a desert city roughly 90 miles northeast of Los Angeles.
On the morning of his disappearance, Derick called his parents shortly before midday to say he could not drive his younger sister to a dentist appointment, despite originally planning to do so. He then left the home on Cactus Street. Security cameras reportedly captured him leaving and getting into his grey 2012 Honda Civic, the last confirmed sighting.
Notably, Derick left without his phone or identification, behavior his family says is extremely out of character. These unusual circumstances prompted the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department to classify him as a “critical missing person,” a designation used when someone may be at risk of harm or when disappearance appears involuntary.
Police are asking the public to report any information about Derick or his vehicle, especially sightings on the day he disappeared or afterward. His family has urged the community to help spread awareness, emphasising the emotional toll of not knowing his whereabouts.
The key unanswered questions remain why Derick cancelled the dentist appointment, where he intended to go after leaving home, and why he left without essential items. Until new evidence emerges, the case remains an active investigation.
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