A Florida couple has been arrested and charged with kidnapping, burglary, and robbery following a February 20 incident in Federal Way, Washington. The couple, Marlly Jarina Ardila-Urrego and Chun Ho Vincent Lai, allegedly traveled from Florida to Washington with the intention of abducting an infant and posed as Amazon delivery drivers to gain access to the victim’s home. Video from the scene reportedly shows them appearing to leave with the baby in a delivery box.
The baby, who is the daughter of Ardila-Urrego’s cousin, was 7 months old at the time. She was safely returned to her parents several hours after her abduction, when police caught the couple as they attempted to flee the state.
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The apparent kidnapping was planned in advance.
The couple have been charged with multiple charges, including first-degree kidnapping, first-degree burglary, second-degree assault of a child, first-degree robbery, and second-degree assault, with “aggravating factors for preying on a vulnerable victim and the sophistication of planning,” according to reports from Fox 13.
In the weeks leading up to the kidnapping, Ardila-Urrego had allegedly asked multiple family members for the victim’s address and said she intended to visit her cousin, something family members described as unusual as she didn’t keep in regular touch with the family. She also allegedly also told them she planned to make $70,000 as a surrogate mother.
The baby's mother was assaulted during the abduction.
KING 5 Seattle reported that Ardila-Urrego allegedly told the woman she had ordered a bed frame for the woman’s other child and that it would be delivered to her on home February 20. On that day, there was a knock on the victim’s door and a man, allegedly Lai, held an Amazon box.
When she opened the door, the man reportedly began punching her in the face, threw her to the ground, and zip-tied her wrists and ankles, with Ardila-Urrego assisting him. He also allegedly threatened to harm the victim’s 2-year-old son if the mother didn’t cooperate.
Police said the couple then grabbed the baby, a cellphone, and a tablet and fled, Fox 13 reported.
Police arrested the couple several hours later.
After the couple left, the infant’s mother was able to free herself from the zip ties and called 911.
Police uses surveillance video, information from the stolen electronic devices, and a license plate reader to track down the couple, who had already driven about 180 miles with the baby.
Ardila-Urrego and Lai were both in King County Jail being held on $750,000 bail, according to KING 5 Seattle. Their next court date is March 7. The baby has been safely reunited with her parents.
