In a commendable display of community vigilance, a security guard at a local convenience store, along with employees from a moving company, played pivotal roles in the recovery of a missing 2-year-old girl, Kehlani Rogers, in Arizona. Their efforts also led to the arrest of the suspect, 23-year-old Marina Noriega, on Sunday.
According to a press release from the Avondale Police Department, Noriega was detained at the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office Intake, Transfer, and Release facility in Phoenix. She faces charges of custodial interference, classified as a class 3 felony. The police department clarified that Noriega was a recent acquaintance of Kehlani’s family.
Reports from KSAZ indicate that Kehlani’s parents had offered Noriega, described as a transient, a place to stay overnight. However, to their shock, she allegedly disappeared with their daughter. This unexpected incident set off a chain of events that culminated in a community-driven search effort.
Thankfully, the toddler was located and returned safely to her family on Sunday, thanks to the quick thinking of several good Samaritans. A foreman from Camelback Moving recounted to KSAZ how he overheard a security guard at QuikTrip discussing the possibility that the missing child was at the location. This led to swift action and the eventual safe recovery of Kehlani.
Marina Noriega’s arrest in connection with Kehlani’s temporary disappearance underscores the importance of community involvement in ensuring the safety and well-being of young children. The collaboration between local citizens and law enforcement highlights the powerful impact of collective vigilance and cooperation.
A Camelback Moving foreman told KSAZ that he overheard the security guard at the QuikTrip saying on the phone that he thought the child was at the property.
The foreman explained that once the security guard told him, he “knew… we had to do something” and “couldn’t just ignore it.”
“QuikTrip security guard, C. Edmonds, first noticed the young girl and an adult woman matching the alert description and enlisted the assistance of Camelback Moving crew members, who were at the location, to help identify and confirm the suspect’s vehicle,” a Camelback Moving press release noted.
“In a quickly coordinated initiative, the Camelback Moving employees positioned one of their trucks to block the suspect’s vehicle while moving a second truck to prevent any escape from the parking lot,” the release continued.
The Avondale Police Department indicated that “Phoenix Police received a citizen tip on Kehlani’s location after employees of a moving company observed Kehlani and Marina at a Phoenix area gas station, around 27th Ave. and Thomas Rd. Phoenix Police responded to the gas station, where they retrieved Kehlani. Marina was taken into custody without incident.”
Marina Noriega was taken into custody in connection to the brief disappearance of Kehlani Rogers in Arizona. (KSAZ)
Camelback Moving president Chad Olsen celebrated the heroic actions of the company’s employees.
“We are incredibly proud of our community heroes: Robert Hernandez, Ralph Vollmert, Christopher Dixon, Kevin Place, Kevin Kimes, Gerardo Galacia, Kobe Brown and Michael Macallum for their courage, quick thinking and teamwork,” Olsen noted in a statement. “Their actions exemplify what it means to look out for our community and to take its safety seriously. This is a powerful reminder that the Amber Alert system works. We also want to express our sincere gratitude that Kehlani was safely returned to her family.”
In a statement provided to Fox News Digital, QuickTrip spokesperson Aisha Jefferson said, “On Sunday morning, a QT Guardian at one of our Phoenix locations recognized two customers connected to an active Amber Alert and immediately alerted Phoenix Police Department. Law enforcement arrived promptly, secured the child, and took the suspects into custody.”
Gastonia, North Carolina, QuickTrip gas station and convenience store. (Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
“We’re grateful for our Guardian’s attentiveness and quick thinking, and for the swift response and professionalism from the Phoenix Police Department. The safety of our employees, customers, and the communities we serve is a top priority,” Jefferson added.
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