Teens Missing After Snapchat Video Allegedly Shows Beating: Reports

Collin Romero and Ahmed Lateef have been missing in New Mexico since Dec. 16. (Albuquerque Metro Crime Stoppers)

Two New Mexico boys have been missing since Dec. 16, and family members are searching for them after they were allegedly attacked while being recorded on Snapchat.

KOB4 reported that  15-year-old Collin Romero and 14-year-old Ahmed Lateef, of Albuquerque, have been missing since Dec. 16

“Collin Romero was reported missing by his mother, Amanda Kimbrel, after she was informed that a Snapchat video had circulated showing Collin’s and Ahmed Lateef (pictured below) being beaten in the west mesa area of Albuquerque,” the Albuquerque Metro Crime Stoppers said

The video, according to Crime Stoppers, appeared to show the boys bleeding “with what appeared to be broken bones.” It added that Ahmed has a felony warrant for his arrest “and is an absconder of the law.”

Collin and Ahmed may have been “involved in a drug deal that may have gone bad in the area of Tivoli Avenue NE and Golden Gate Avenue NE,” said Crime Stoppers. “Both subjects have not been heard from since and their whereabouts are unknown.”

Collin’s mother, Amanda Kimbrel, reported the boy missing after someone informed her about the video.

“They were being beaten very, very brutally, pistol-whipped,” Kimbrel told KOB4. “Snapchat has this information and they are refusing to hand it over.”

The KOB4 report said both families were working to search for the boys during Christmas.

“I had so many plans for this Christmas,” Kimbrel said. ”This was the first Christmas I could really afford to do a lot. I had the Christmas tree up and lights, my son always wanted me to do stuff like that but, money was always an issue. This is the first time it wasn’t and he doesn’t get to see any of it.”

Police served a warrant to Snapchat and are asking for teens in the area to give police information about the attack.

“We’re really asking for the younger community to take this seriously,” Kimbrel said. “We’re concerned with their whereabouts, not who did this or why.”

Kimbrel said she is not giving up hope they’re still alive.

“I just can’t stop, I won’t be able to live with myself,” Kimbrel said. “I have to bring them home I have to have my son with me I want to return Ahmed to his mother Yazmin. If there are arroyos near your house or wash out things like that please just check.”

Law enforcement has not said much, another family member added.

“We’ve been told there’s a photo of the boys in the back seat of the car, with a man in the middle holding them as if they are trophies,” said Collin’s grandmother, Kelen Kimbrell, KRQE reported. “Unfortunately law enforcement seems to have no interest in locating these two boys,” added Kelen.

Over the weekend, dozens of volunteers attempted to look for the boys.

“We understand the vast, enormous area we’re trying to cover,” said Kelen Kimbrell, Collin Romero’s grandmother, reported KRQE. “I just want to be helpful, search wherever I can search, wherever they ask me to,” said one of the volunteers.