A Hollywood, Florida couple accused in the disappearance of their infant were arrested Wednesday at a rural property near Rockingham, North Carolina, according to sheriff's deputies. Richmond County investigators, assisted by the U.S. Marshals Service, took the two into custody at a home on the 900 block of Ledbetter Road. Florida prosecutors have charged the pair with aggravated manslaughter of a child and related counts, and they are being held at the Richmond County jail pending transfer back to Florida.
That account, first reported by the Charlotte Observer, cites a July 22 news release that lists charges including aggravated manslaughter of a child, tampering with or fabricating physical evidence, failing to report a death to the medical examiner's office, false information concerning a missing child, and false reports to law enforcement. The Observer reports that investigators traced the couple to the Ledbetter Road residence and then enlisted federal marshals to carry out the arrests.
Arrests carried out in Rockingham
Richmond County said in a July 22 release that the pair were booked as fugitives of justice at the county jail and will remain there until Florida authorities arrange transport. According to the county's account, the arrests followed a multi-jurisdictional probe that pulled in local investigators and federal partners.
Charges filed in Florida
Florida prosecutors have filed charges against 20-year-old Samantha Angeline Feliz and 21-year-old Leon Alejandro Jr., according to the Charlotte Observer. The Observer reports the counts were lodged in Hollywood, Florida, and that investigators have not publicly disclosed further details about the child's death or the location of the infant's remains.
Investigators' timeline and gaps
Richmond County says in the July 22 release that Feliz gave birth and concealed the infant somewhere other than a hospital between December 6, 2024 and January 5, 2025, and that investigators have not located an official birth certificate or medical records for the child. The release also says other family members saw the couple with the baby during the child's first month of life, and that the infant was not seen again thereafter.
Next steps
Authorities have not released a timetable for extradition or upcoming court appearances, and they have not provided additional public details about where the child may have been or when the death occurred. The case remains under active investigation by Florida and North Carolina authorities, and officials are asking anyone with information to contact law enforcement.
