Executive Summary
- 3-year-old Kehlani Marie Rogers was found safe at a Phoenix gas station following an Amber Alert.
- Suspect Mariana Noriega, 23, has been taken into police custody.
- The child was allegedly abducted in Avondale and spotted in Maricopa before being recovered.
A three-year-old girl who was the subject of an urgent Amber Alert in Arizona has been found safe at a gas station in Phoenix, concluding a search operation that spanned multiple cities. Kehlani Marie Rogers, age 3, was recovered unharmed on Sunday, Feb 22, 2026, after allegedly being abducted in Avondale.
According to the Avondale Police Department, the incident began near 118th Avenue and Edgemont Street, just south of Thomas Road, where the child was reported taken. Investigators identified the suspect as 23-year-old Mariana Noriega, who was initially known to witnesses only by the name “Merena.” During the search, authorities received reports that the child had been spotted in Maricopa with the potential suspect before eventually being located in Phoenix.
Law enforcement officials have confirmed that Noriega was taken into custody in connection with the abduction. While the child has been reunited with safety, police have not yet released specific details regarding the circumstances leading to the discovery at the gas station or the precise relationship between the suspect and the victim.
It is important to note that all individuals charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Investigative Outlook
The successful recovery of the toddler allows law enforcement to shift focus from an active search and rescue operation to a criminal investigation. With the suspect detained, detectives will likely concentrate on reconstructing the timeline of events between the abduction in Avondale and the recovery in Phoenix to determine the intent and ensure all evidentiary protocols are met for potential prosecution.
