VANCOUVER, WA (KPTV)—The woman accused of kidnapping her daughter and fleeing to Mexico has been arrested after almost a year on the run.
According to the Clark County Jail website, Esmeralda Lopez-Lopez, 22, was booked on Thursday for charges of first-degree kidnapping, first-degree robbery, theft of a motor vehicle, second-degree theft, and two counts of identity theft.
Investigators said Lopez-Lopez abducted her then-4-year-old Aranza Ochoa Lopez during a court-supervised visit at the Vancouver Mall in October 2018.
Court documents state Lopez-Lopez had lost custody of Aranza because of a history of abuse.
In May, the FBI asked for help locating Aranza, saying she was still believed to be in Mexico.
Vancouver police told FOX 12 that Aranza has not been found as of Friday morning.
There’s no word on how investigators tracked down Lopez-Lopez, but police said she was extradited from California.
In court Friday, the state attorney said Lopez-Lopez is a flight risk, and said she may be involved in organized crime, therefore could have access to large amounts of money.
The judge ruled to hold her in jail without bail until her next court date, which is set for Oct. 11.
