Child Rescue in Alabama Following Abduction
In a recent operation, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents, alongside U.S. and Mexican authorities, successfully rescued a 3-year-old child in Alabama. The child had been taken by her mother, Haley Harris, who was allegedly working with an illegal immigrant deported on charges related to child sexual assault.
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin reported that Harris abducted the child and crossed the southern border into Mexico. The investigation revealed unsettling details about Harris’s actions during this period.
According to HSI, Harris maintained consistent contact with her boyfriend, Pedro Pedraza Trejo, who had a troubling criminal background, including convictions for sexual abuse. During the abduction, Harris reportedly contacted Pedraza Trejo a staggering 193 times in just a few days.
Local news outlet ABC 33/40 shared that the child, named Keony Haugen, was returned to her home in Orange Beach, Alabama, after being missing for 12 days. Authorities tracked Harris’s movements, which included stops in Pensacola, Atlanta, San Diego, Tijuana, and Mexico City before she was apprehended.
ICE’s statement highlighted the seriousness of Harris’s situation, noting that her ongoing communication with someone convicted of heinous crimes against children posed a serious risk to the child’s safety.
Harris was extradited to the U.S. on September 28 and subsequently charged with international parental kidnapping. McLaughlin emphasized that Harris’s actions violated international laws designed to protect children from abduction.
“This case exemplifies the importance of cross-border cooperation,” McLaughlin said. She reiterated HSI’s commitment to safeguarding vulnerable children and holding accountable those who endanger them.
Stephen Schrank, special agent in charge of HSI for Georgia and Alabama, also commented, indicating that the joint effort in this case showcases the effectiveness of collaboration between U.S. and international law enforcement. “Thanks to the swift actions of our agents, the child has been safely returned,” Schrank stated, adding that justice would be served for such serious offenses.
