A woman from Texas was recently apprehended for allegedly attempting to orchestrate a pay-to-play kidnapping of two children with the intention of transporting them to Mexico, as reported by Illinois law enforcement. Cindy Sanchez, 47, is facing two charges each of kidnapping by deceit or enticement, unlawful restraint, and child abduction – parent without custody, as per the records of the 16th Judicial Circuit.
Sanchez was apprehended this week at Midway International Airport, accompanied by two children, aged 11 and 13, as stated by the Aurora Police Department. Officers were dispatched to a residence on Rosewood Avenue in Aurora, a large suburban community approximately 40 miles west of Chicago, around 3:30 p.m. on Thursday. This was in response to the family’s alarm over a potential double kidnapping.
Upon arrival, officers discovered that the two children were staying with relatives at the time. An unidentified woman had arrived at their home claiming she needed to take the children out of state on behalf of their mother. However, the children’s mother denied giving anyone permission to take the children anywhere. This confirmed the initial kidnapping fears.
Local law enforcement sought assistance from the larger Chicago Police Department to locate the trio. Sanchez and the children were found at Midway Airport, the second busiest airport in the Second City, leading to Sanchez’s arrest. Both children were safely recovered, unharmed.
Further investigation revealed the alleged scheme’s origin. Sanchez, a resident of Fort Worth, Texas, the second-largest city in the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington Metroplex, was identified as a relative of the children’s father. It was discovered that the children’s father, who does not have legal custody, had paid Sanchez to transport the children to him in Mexico via the Texas border.
Sanchez was arrested on Friday and held at the Kane County Adult Justice Center. She was released on Saturday morning following a court appearance on Friday that resulted in a release order. Sanchez is scheduled for a status hearing on Sept. 18.