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Albemarle County: Relatives who refused to return baby to birth mother arrested for abduction

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Two people are in custody in a reported attempted child abduction case in Albemarle County.

Catherine Ortiz-Caridad, 34, and Wilson Canan-Cruz, 24, were arrested on Monday after an investigation into an April 23 incident on Wilton Farm Road.

According to Albemarle County Police, Ortiz-Caridad, Canan-Cruz and a third person, a woman whose name was not released, were arguing over the custody of an infant when police were called to the scene on April 23.

With the assistance of Albemarle County Department of Social Services and Homeland Security Investigation, ACPD detectives learned that the infant’s biological mother had temporarily placed her baby in the care of relatives while she established herself in another state. When the infant’s mother returned to Virginia, the temporary guardians prevented the mother access to the infant, and they subsequently presented themselves to the police as the biological parents.

The infant, who has been in the custody of ACDSS since the April 23 incident, was returned to the out-of-state mother after a DNA test confirmed she was the biological parent.

Canan-Cruz and Ortiz-Caridad are being held at the Charlottesville Albemarle Regional Jail without bond.

If you have any information regarding this case or others, contact CrimeStoppers at 434-977-4000 or [email protected].

Chris Graham

Chris Graham

Chris Graham is the founder and editor of Augusta Free Press. A 1994 alum of the University of Virginia, Chris is the author and co-author of seven books, including Poverty of Imagination, a memoir published in 2019, and Team of Destiny: Inside Virginia Basketball’s Run to the 2019 National Championship, and The Worst Wrestling Pay-Per-View Ever, published in 2018. For his commentaries on news, sports and politics, go to his YouTube page, or subscribe to his Street Knowledge podcast. Email Chris at [email protected].