Houston man accused of kidnapping New Mexico baby whose mother, another woman were shot, killed
ABILENE, Texas - A Houston-area man is accused of kidnapping a 10-month-old girl whose mother and another woman were found shot and killed in New Mexico, federal officials say. Authorities say the baby later was found in Texas.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico, 26-year-old Alek Isaiah Collins, of Manvel, was charged by criminal complaint with interstate kidnapping of a child.
Alek Collins (Photo: Abilene Police Department)
MORE NEWS: Houston judge's probation practices scrutinized
Police in New Mexico say two 23-year-old women – Samantha Cisneros and Taryn Allen – were found shot to death at a park near Clovis on May 3. Cisneros’s 5-year-old daughter was also reportedly found on the ground with a head injury and was taken to the hospital.
Police discovered that Cisneros also had a 10-month-old daughter, who was not at the scene. An Amber Alert was issued for the girl.
According to federal officials, evidence indicated the potential involvement of a maroon Honda, and witnesses reported that a maroon or red sedan was at the park at around the time of the incident.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the investigation revealed that Collins had rented a maroon Honda, and GPS data from the vehicle showed it near that park around the estimated time of the homicide. Collins was also allegedly linked to a phone that was in the area of the park around that time.
MORE NEWS: Suspect charged, second suspect sought in robbery-kidnapping case
Federal officials say the car was found at a home in Abilene, Texas, where the vehicle had been remotely disabled after Collins failed to return it to the owner on time.
Officers were preparing to execute a search warrant at the house when an Uber driver pulled up in an SUV and Collins came out of the home with the girl, the U.S. Attorney’s Office says. Collins allegedly put the girl in the backseat and then forced the Uber driver to get out of the vehicle at gunpoint before Collins drove away with the girl.
MORE NEWS: Mississippi triple-murder suspect shot and killed by Arizona trooper
Abilene police were able to bring the vehicle to a stop, arrest Collins and get the girl out of the car, federal officials say.
Authorities say Collins has no relation to the girl and does not have legal custody of her.
Collins appeared before a federal judge in Abilene on Tuesday morning and will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transfer to New Mexico.
This story was reported from Houston.