A 23-year-old woman in Arizona abducted a 2-year-old girl from her family's home, claiming the child was her biological daughter taken from a hospital after birth. The incident unfolded after the woman, who was temporarily staying with the family, took the toddler without permission. Police arrested her the following day after an Amber Alert was issued.
On Friday night, Marina Noriega, 23, was allowed to stay at a family's residence in Avondale, Arizona, after relatives brought her there because she was transient and needed shelter. The family shared that Noriega mentioned being dropped off from California, with her boyfriend in jail, and made inconsistent statements about having children, including recanting a claim and referencing a 'dead baby.' They also noted her account of a car accident and hospital visit but permitted her to remain, suspecting she might be protecting personal details.
After sharing a meal and retiring for the night—with Noriega on the couch—the family awoke to find both Noriega and their 2-year-old daughter, Kehlani Rogers, missing. Authorities issued an Amber Alert on Saturday morning. Surveillance footage from Maricopa showed Noriega pushing Kehlani in a black stroller at various locations. Noriega had no vehicle or phone known to the family and made no effort to contact them or return the child.
On Sunday morning, a moving crew and gas station security guard at a QuikTrip near 27th Avenue and Thomas Road in Phoenix spotted Noriega with Kehlani in a pickup truck, blocked it, and called police. The child told her parents she was scared but okay. In a post-Miranda interview, Noriega initially insisted Kehlani was her daughter, born in Sacramento in September 2021 and abducted from the hospital. She claimed to have found her 'coincidentally' near 107th Street.
Confronted with evidence, Noriega admitted, 'My mistake,' and 'I should not have done that.' She provided inconsistent details and confessed to smoking methamphetamine the previous day using a pipe found on her. Frustrated, she stated, 'I shouldn't give a f— about her … it's not my daughter, so I shouldn't give a f—,' and added, 'They asked me to stay ... I shouldn't have took advantage of the situation.'
Noriega faces one count of custodial interference and was held on a $250,000 bond. In court, a prosecutor described her as a danger to the community and flight risk, with the judge agreeing and ordering no contact with minors or victims.
