Phoenix police rescued a toddler, who’d been taken from her home in the middle of the night, after bystanders saw an Amber Alert and reported seeing the missing girl, authorities said.
Kehlani Rogers, 3, had last been seen by her parents late Friday night before they reported missing from her home in Avondale on Saturday morning, prompting local authorities to issue an Amber Alert, officials said.
A tip from the public led Phoenix police to 27th Avenue and Indian School Road where the missing little girl was found and arrested suspect Marina Noriega, authorities said.
It wasn’t immediately clear what relationship Noriega had with the girl’s parents.
“Investigators worked tirelessly through the night, following up on numerous tips. Earlier this morning, a community member reported a possible sighting near 27th Avenue and Indian School Road in Phoenix,” according to an Avondale police statement. “Phoenix Police responded and located Kehlani Rogers and Marina Noriega.”
The key tip came from a gas station security guard and a moving crew filling up when they saw the girl and woman.
“I showed him the Amber Alert photo, he’s like, that’s her. That’s her. Because I swear that’s the child that she just ran past me,” moving company worker Ralph Vollmert told NBC affiliate KPNX.
The men had been prepared to take decisive action against the woman, before police responded.
“We’re going to block them in. We’re not going to let them leave,” Vollmert said. “The security guard inside the store was on the phone with police department, and luckily, it didn’t take them long to respond at all.”
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