A woman accused of abducting a toddler from an Arizona home is now facing serious felony charges after a grand jury indictment.
Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell announced that 23-year-old Marina Noriega has been indicted on charges of custodial interference and second-degree burglary in connection with the disappearance of 3-year-old Kehlani Rogers.
Prosecutors say the custodial interference charge stems from Noriega allegedly trying to keep the child away from her parents, while the burglary charge relates to her being inside the family’s home without permission. Noriega is currently being held on a $250,000 cash bond.
The frightening case began in late February when Kehlani was reported missing from her home in Avondale, Arizona. Police issued an Amber Alert after the toddler was last seen around 11:30 p.m. on Feb. 20. Two days later, the child was found safe.
According to court documents, the situation began when Kehlani’s parents allowed a woman they did not know to stay at their home because she needed a place to sleep. When they woke up the next morning, both the woman and their daughter were gone.
A frantic search quickly began. Investigators later received a tip that helped identify Noriega as the suspect.
Police say a woman told authorities she had unknowingly given Noriega and the toddler a ride to the city of Maricopa. During the drive, Noriega allegedly mentioned that she planned to catch a train to California.
Surveillance footage from a business in Maricopa later confirmed Noriega had been there with the child.
Authorities finally located Noriega and the toddler on Feb. 22 at a gas station in Phoenix. Kehlani was safely recovered and returned to her family.
According to investigators, Noriega initially told police that she was the girl’s mother and claimed the child had been abducted from a hospital in Sacramento years earlier. She later admitted the story was not true.
“I shouldn’t have taken advantage of the situation and done what I did. You’re right, that’s my fault,” Noriega reportedly told investigators.
Noriega is scheduled to be arraigned on March 11, and her trial is currently set to begin on July 8.