FBI: Missing infant found alive, suspect in custody
CLOVIS, N.M. – Officials with the FBI said Monday that 10-month-old Eleia Maria Torres has been found alive and a suspect is in custody.
Clovis police say Eleia was taken to a local area hospital as a precaution. They said a collaborative effort by law enforcement resulted in Eleia being found.
Authorities will hold a news conference sharing additional information at 4:30 p.m. Monday. It will be streamed on the KOB 4 YouTube channel.
Below is a story originally published Sunday at 5:41 p.m.
Law enforcement officials believe the person who kidnapped Torres also murdered her mother and another woman and badly hurt a child.
On Sunday, the FBI and Clovis Police Department gave an update on the investigation.
Police say the 5-year-old who was hurt is still receiving treatment, but we don’t know what condition the child is in. They say the child had a serious gunshot injury to the head.
The two women killed were 23-year-olds Taryn Allen and Samantha Cisneros. Police referred to Cisneros as “Harley” – she’s the mother of both of the children involved.
Both she and Allen were from Texico which is only about a 15-minute drive from Clovis. Investigators say the group stopped for food before going to a Dollar Tree in Clovis.
A witness told police he believed he heard gunshots around 4: 30 that afternoon at Ned Houk Park.
The park is about six miles north of Clovis, with barely any cell service. That’s where police later found the two women and the injured 5-year-old next to a minivan.
An Amber alert was issued for 10-month-old Eleia Maria Torres Friday. Police say she has brown eyes and hair. She’s 28 inches tall and weighs 23 pounds.
Investigators are asking the community for any information about what happened.
“We need your help to make sure we find this individual or individuals who are responsible for these horrific crimes. No detail, no tip, nothing is too small. Don’t consider something, don’t make that assumption that something is insignificant. Because our case team will follow up on every single lead until we bring back alive,” said Raúl Bujanda, FBI special agent in charge.
We still don’t know why the women were in the park. Investigators said Sunday there were no leads on a suspect or suspects.
They added that they ruled out the fathers of both of the children, saying they have been working with them so far.
Information can be provided anonymously by using the Clovis Police Department’s tip411 program. Anonymous tips can also be provided to the Curry County Crime Stoppers at 575-763-7000.