Kidnap/Child Abduction –  Traffic stop Foothill/New York in La Crescenta: Thursday, November 14, 1420 hours

Officers were conducting a traffic stop in relation to two adults (arrestees) in violation of the seat belt law. Located in the vehicle were three adult occupants and two juvenile occupants. Information given by the adults to the officers  were suspicious and inconsistent, especially with regard to the children that were in the vehicle.  Furthering their investigation, the officers ran the names of the children (female 3 years and female 7 years), and learned that one child (7 yr old female) was abducted from Anchorage, AK by the mother three years ago.  The mother was among those in car.

Officers learned that charges had been filed in the Alaska abduction case and that there was an active warrant for the mother (CORA FRANCIS MALONE) in that case.

One of the adult males (PABLO LAPUENTE SAMANIEGO) in the vehicle was learned to be assisting to facilitate the continued hiding of the child, and was therefore arrested along with the  mother for Child Abduction, Kidnapping, and Conspiracy.

Both children were placed into protective custody with DCS.  Alaska Office of Children’s Services is working on travel plans in order to return both children back to Alaska.

Arrestees:

SAMANIEGO,PABLO LAPUENTE  1/29/64
MALONE,CORA FRANCIS  8/21/74

Charges:  Malone 278(a) PC (Kidnap a child) and 207(a) PC (Kidnapping)

Charges:  Samaniego  278(a) PC (Kidnap a child) and 207(a) PC (Kidnapping), 182 PC (Conspiracy to commit a crime).

Investigation revealed Chaney, the third adult in the vehicle was not involved in the kidnapping and was cited for the below violations and released.

27315(e) VC (Failure to wear a seat belt), 40302(a) VC (Booking authority for violations when no identification is in possession)