Family members made a tearful plea Wednesday night for the safe return of four missing Southern California brothers after a woman's body was found in the trunk of a car that belonged to the boys' parents.
Police said the father, Daniel Perez, is a person of interest in the case.
The brothers, whose ages range from 6 to 11, and their parents have been missing since Dec. 5, officials with the Montebello Police Department said.
Police issued an Amber Alert for the missing children, believed to be with their father in the family's other car, a black 2014 four-door Toyota Camry with the California license plate number 7FDS891.
Daniel and Erica Perez's marriage is unstable and has a history of domestic violence, their family told police.
The boys are named Jordan, Alex, Jaiden and Tristan Perez, according to police.
"You're breaking our hearts. We don't know where the kids are, they need us," said the boys' aunt, Pamela Valdez, as she tried to hold back tears. "Please bring the kids back, Danny. Please don't hurt them."
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The family's Honda Accord was found about 5 p.m. Wednesday on Harding Avenue next to Beverly Hospital in Montebello, less than a mile from their home.
Investigators found a dead woman inside the trunk. They did not identify her or the cause of death.
The Perez family was last heard from on Friday. Phone calls and messages to both parents have been unreturned, and the father did not go to work Monday or Tuesday, police said.
Investigators were also searching for clues at the family's home.
Anyone with information about the missing family can contact the Montebello Police Department at 323-887-1313.
Asher Klein and Jason Kandel contributed to this report.
