Two women in Pennsylvania, are facing multiple charges after allegedly refusing to turn custody of a baby over to the state. One of the women involved was the baby’s mother, Kyzhera Weaver. Details about why the state was taking custody of the baby have not been shared publicly.
Police are still unsure of how the women know each other. The young mother’s motive for hiding her baby is still unknown as well. Thankfully, the baby was found.
Penn Live reported that Children and Youth told police it petitioned for custody of the 2-month-old baby. And on March 14, custody was granted. Lancaster County Children and Youth authorities had been granted custody of the baby, but they were unable to locate the child. Four days later, the baby was reported missing. The child was found later that day, Tuesday, March 18.
On Monday, March 17, Weaver and 35-year-old Jesenia Loarte Mercado, were together at court. At the time, Weaver testified under oath that she didn’t know where her baby was, court documents say. According to police, the women arrived at the court together. They also left together.
A Children and Youth representative told police that Weaver told her the baby was at Mercado’s home in Hanover, Pennsylvania. When Lancaster and Hanover police showed up at Mercado’s home, she admitted to having the baby. But she then told police she’d given the baby to an adult “whom she would not identify,” according to court documents.
Lancaster police found the baby inside Mercado’s home. They did not reveal how the women know each other. During their investigation, they received a picture of Weaver holding the baby and hitting a man. They didn’t offer details about why Children and Youth took custody of the baby.
On March 20, 2025, Lancaster police shared that they were looking for Kyzhera Weaver. She was found the next day. Weaver has been charged with three felonies: concealing the baby’s whereabouts, interfering with the child’s custody, and child endangerment. Jesenia Loarte Mercado was charged with four felonies and a misdemeanor count of obstructing law enforcement.
Mercado has been arraigned and a preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 28. Weaver has not yet been arraigned.
