A couple from Florida was taken into custody after going to Washington state and abducting a family member’s 7-month-old baby.
Marlly Jarina Ardila-Urrego and Chun Ho Vincent Lai are facing charges of kidnapping, burglary, robbery, and assault in relation to the supposed Feb. 20 occurrence in Federal Way, Washington.
Authorities say that Ardila-Urrego, 33, and Lai, 42, went after the relatives simply because they have a child.
A few days before the occurrence, Ardila-Urrego had continuosly asked her cousin, the mother of the baby, what her address was. She had told her cousin that she had purchased a bed frame for her baby and that it would be delivered on Feb. 20.
When that day came, the victim says that someone knocked on the door soon after her husband went to work.
As the mother peered through the peephole, she observed what appeared to be an Amazon delivery driver with an Amazon box.
Immediately when she opened the door, the supposed driver, who was really Lai, began to punch her in the face. He then threw her to the ground and tied up her wrists and ankles.
The victim says that after that, an unfamiliar woman entered her residence and restrained her as the man put the baby in the Amazon box and exited the apartment.
Documents state that the couple threatened to harm the woman’s 2-year-old child if she didn’t do as they instructed.
After the pair was gone, the woman was able to free herself and call police.
The victim’s father disclosed to authorities that he thought that Ardila-Urrego was somehow involved. He believed that it was strange that she had asked for the victim’s address since they didn’t talk much. He added that he also had knowledge of a plan that Ardila-Urrego had to sell a baby for $70,000.
Eventually, investigators were able to use cell phone data to find the couple’s car and hunt them down.
Less than four hours after the abduction, the unharmed infant was rescued.
Each of the suspects have a bail that has been set at $750,000.
