Woman charged with child abduction in Menifee

Press release from the Menifee Police Department:

MENIFEE -- At approximately 7:10 p.m. on Saturday, the Menifee Police Department communications center received a call for service regarding a parental abduction in violation of a child custody order. The incident occurred during a court-mandated supervised child custody exchange near the 29000 block of Antelope Road in Menifee.

After her 6-year-old and 8-year-old children were placed in a relative’s vehicle to return them to their father, the mother of the children entered the vehicle and fled the location in violation of the order.

Family members were able to track the female via her cell phone and she was located in the area of the 215/60 freeways by deputies of the Riverside Sheriff’s Department. The female failed to yield when officers attempted to conduct a vehicle stop and a vehicle pursuit ensued. The vehicle traveled into the San Diego area, where officers of the Escondido Police Department took over the pursuit. The suspect was able to evade officers when she crossed the border and entered into Mexico.

The department of Customs and Border Protection was notified of the child abduction and on Sunday at approximately 8 a.m., the female attempted to drive back into the United States with her children. The female was detained by members of Customs and Border Protection and her children were found unharmed. Menifee Police officers responded and took custody of the female and the children were released to the father.

The female suspect was booked into the Cois M. Byrd Detention Center on charges of parental child abduction. No other information was available.

Editor’s note: The identity of the suspect has not been released.