Child, suspect in Salt Lake City Amber Alert found
Published at
Linda Williams, KSL.com
SALT LAKE CITY (KSL.com) — A child and her noncustodial mother who were at the center of an Amber Alert issued Friday have both been found. Four people, including the mother, have been arrested in connection with the case.
Police issued the Amber Alert after they said 32-year-old Holly Angelina Smith abducted 18-month-old Josephina Jimenez in the Glendale neighborhood of Salt Lake City after a court took away Smith’s custodial rights earlier that day.
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“Despite being present at the hearing, and aware of the ruling, Smith is accused of leaving with the baby girl and she received help from at least three others,” police said in a news release.
Salt Lake police and other law enforcement agencies scoured the area for the child and were concerned about the dropping temperatures as the night went on.
During the search, police say they received information to look in the area of Redwood Road and Paxton Avenue, where they found Smith and a man hiding behind a shopping cart. Officers discovered the child in the cart under blankets and also found suspected drug paraphernalia, the release said.
Jimenez did not appear to be injured and was checked by paramedics.
Smith was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail for investigation of child kidnapping, child endangerment, and providing false or misleading information to law enforcement. Three more individuals were also booked into jail:
- Jose Francisco Robles-Prieto, 47, for investigation of felony obstruction of justice and child endangerment. Police believe he knew about the Amber Alert and helped conceal the child.
- Joey Jimenez, 41, for investigation of felony obstruction of justice. Jimenez helped transport and hide Smith and the child, police said.
- Eric Mathew Jimenez, 37, for investigation of felony obstruction of justice. Police say he was in a car used to help Smith hide and that he refused to tell officers where the girl was located.
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