Mother accused of kidnapping toddler son in LA County and fleeing to Mexico
The mother, who doesn't have custody of her son, failed to return him to his foster parent after a visit in Walnut, the FBI said.
LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- The FBI is searching for a 31-year-old mother accused of kidnapping her own son and possibly fleeing to Mexico.
According to authorities, Brigette Benitez failed to return her 16-month-old son Miguel Eduardo Zuniga Medina, Jr. to his foster parent after an unsupervised visit in Walnut last month.
Neither she or the boy's father, Miguel Eduardo Medina Zuniga, Sr., have legal custody of the child. Authorities say the father has a history of violent offenses.
"Medina, Sr. was arrested last year for an alleged domestic violence incident and has a history of engaging in violent altercations in the presence of children," the FBI said in a statement.
A federal arrest warrant for Benitez was obtained Thursday after she was charged with international parental kidnapping in a criminal complaint filed in Los Angeles. The complaint alleges that Benitez "intentionally obstructed the L.A. County Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS)," who holds legal custody of the boy.
Benitez and the child were last seen in a black 2021 Toyota Camry with California license plate 8WAS968. Investigators say the mother crossed into Mexico on February 6 at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry in San Diego County.
Anyone with information is asked to call their local FBI office or nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. You can also submit a tip on the FBI's website.
