A Corpus Christi child who had been missing for more than four years was safely recovered on Jan. 20.
The U.S. Marshals Service reported the child was recovered in Mexico and returned to her family in Corpus Christi, according to a news release sent by Deputy U.S. Marshal Erick Haag.
The investigation launched after the child’s father, Neftaly Garcia, kidnapped his daughter and fled to the region of La Angostura in Chiapas, Mexico.
Angela Buitrago-Paredes, mother of the child, reported her daughter missing to the Portland Police Department days later when Garcia did not return with their child as per their shared custody agreement.
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U.S. Marshals took over as the lead agency in the case at the request of the Portland Police Department and joined forces with domestic and international partners.
The news release said a critical moment came when Mexican officials initiated a request for a provisional arrest warrant through the Office of International Affairs, part of the U.S. Department of Justice.
The legal process, combined with ongoing investigative pressure and law enforcement collaboration, resulted in Garcia’s arrest in Mexico and the recovery of the child, the news release said.
The child was placed back into Buitrago-Paredes’ custody.
John Oliva covers entertainment and community news in South Texas. Have a story idea? Contact him at john.oliva@caller.com.
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This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Missing Corpus Christi child recovered after four years