A Florida couple, aged 42 and 33, were recently apprehended after allegedly executing a complex scheme to kidnap a 7-month-old baby girl from Washington state. The couple, identified as Marlly Jarina Ardila-Urrego and Chun Ho Vincent Lai, are related to the infant’s mother and were arrested last week. They face multiple felony charges, including kidnapping, burglary, and assault, according to court documents.
The case has been described as “extraordinarily unusual” by Senior King County Deputy Prosecutor Jennifer Phillips. She stated in court documents that the couple had traveled to Washington with the explicit intention of forcibly taking the baby.
The couple reportedly arrived at the mother’s apartment, located about 20 miles south of Seattle, around 9:30 a.m. on February 20. Security camera footage from the apartment’s parking lot allegedly shows Lai, disguised as an Amazon delivery person, and Ardila-Urrego waiting near their car for approximately 10 minutes, presumably for the baby’s father to leave.
The couple then approached the apartment, where Ardila-Urrego had previously informed the mother to expect a package. Upon the mother opening the door, Lai is accused of assaulting her, knocking her to the ground. The couple then allegedly entered the apartment, restrained the mother, and silenced her 2-year-old child with tape. Ardila-Urrego reportedly wore a mask and remained silent to conceal her identity.
Authorities claim that Lai then took the infant and placed her in an Amazon box, locking the bound mother in her bedroom. He also allegedly threatened the 2-year-old child to ensure the mother’s cooperation. Surveillance footage reportedly shows the couple leaving the scene with a red bag, believed to contain the kidnapped child.
The mother managed to free herself and immediately began searching for her missing child, eventually contacting emergency services. The child’s grandfather, who is also Ardila-Urrego’s uncle, provided crucial information to the police, identifying Ardila-Urrego as a potential suspect due to her unusual interest in the victim’s address and her recent claim of acting as a surrogate for a substantial sum of money.
After conducting interviews and reviewing surveillance footage, investigators were able to identify Lai and his vehicle, leading to the FBI tracking his cellphone. The couple was apprehended during a traffic stop on I-90, with the unharmed child found in their vehicle.
As of Friday morning, the couple remained in custody with a bond set at $750,000. They are scheduled to appear in court on March 7.