A couple from Florida, accused of claiming their missing infant never existed, has been apprehended in North Carolina. This comes after a yearlong investigation into the presumed death of the child.
Leon Alejandro Jr., 21, and Samantha Feliz, 20, both residents of Hollywood, Florida, were taken into custody in Rockingham, North Carolina. Investigators reported the pair fled there while Hollywood police investigated the infant’s disappearance.
Officers from the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Marshals Service arrested the couple and booked them into Richmond County Jail on fugitive of justice warrants. They remain held without bond until extradition to Florida.
Hollywood police began the investigation in early 2025 after learning Feliz allegedly gave birth between December 6, 2024, and January 5, 2025, as stated by the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office.
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The authorities noted that the birth was concealed and did not occur in a hospital setting. Family members reportedly saw the couple with the baby in its first month, but then the infant was no longer seen.
An arrest warrant from WPLG revealed investigators believe the child, referred to by initials A.F., was last photographed on January 5, 2025. Detectives described the child as “visibly ill and malnourished,” showing “no signs of life” in the final known image.
Investigators searched multiple locations with cadaver dogs, yet did not find the child’s remains, reported the outlet.
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The couple allegedly told relatives the baby “was a prank” and claimed the pregnancy was a “hoax” intended to defraud family members, according to the arrest warrant. Investigators said photos depicted Feliz pregnant, and text messages referenced the pregnancy and baby.
Baby clothing, a positive pregnancy test, and blood-stained towels were found in a storage unit linked to the couple. DNA tests confirmed the blood from these items belonged to a biological child of Alejandro and Feliz.
Despite no birth certificate or medical records, investigators gathered enough evidence to charge both with aggravated manslaughter, tampering with evidence, failing to report a death, providing false information, and making false reports.
The couple reportedly fled Florida and lived on property owned by Alejandro’s relatives in Richmond County, where they were found and arrested on July 22.
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Hollywood, Florida, is located between Fort Lauderdale and Miami, named after California’s Hollywood.
Richmond County Sheriff Mark Gulledge commended the collaborative effort in the arrest, stating, “This is a prime example of agencies nationwide collaborating to uphold justice.”
No additional details about the infant’s fate have been publicly shared. Fox News Digital has reached out to the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office for updates, but has yet to receive a response.
Stepheny Price is a writer at Fox News, focusing on West Coast and Midwest news, missing persons, national and international crime stories, homicide cases, and border security.