A Florida couple has been arrested in North Carolina in connection with the disappearance of their infant child, who was allegedly born in secret between December 2024 and January 2025. Leon Alejandro Jr., 21, and Samantha Feliz, 20, both of Hollywood, Florida, were taken into custody Wednesday by the Richmond County Sheriff's Office and the U.S. Marshals Service on fugitive of justice warrants.
Investigators began looking into the case in early 2025 after learning Feliz may have given birth outside of a hospital setting. Family members reportedly saw the couple with the infant during its first month of life, but the child was never seen again. According to an arrest warrant, the last known photograph of the infant, identified by the initials A.F., was taken on January 5, 2025. Detectives described the infant in the image as appearing "visibly ill and malnourished" with "no signs of life."
Investigators searched multiple locations with cadaver dogs but have not located the child's remains. Evidence recovered from a storage unit linked to the couple, including baby clothing and towels with what appeared to be bloodstains, underwent DNA testing. The results determined the blood belonged to a biological child of Alejandro and Feliz.
Authorities allege that Alejandro and Feliz repeatedly denied the child's existence, telling relatives the baby "was a prank" and later claiming the pregnancy was a "hoax" intended to deceive family members for financial gain. Despite the absence of a birth certificate or medical records, investigators have filed multiple felony charges. These include aggravated manslaughter of a child, tampering with or fabricating physical evidence, failure to report a death to the medical examiner, providing false information concerning a missing child, and making false reports to law enforcement.
The couple is being held without bond in the Richmond County Jail pending extradition to Florida. They were apprehended at a property in Richmond County, North Carolina, where they had allegedly fled from Florida. The Richmond County Sheriff's Office commended the multi-agency collaboration that led to the arrests.