SALT LAKE CITY — The mother at the center of last week's AMBER Alert and three others were officially charged Wednesday, and the newly released documents shed light on what happened that day.
As previously reported, 32-year-old Holly Smith allegedly fled with her 18-month-old daughter after the Utah Division of Child and Family Services took away her custodial rights on Friday.
Three men were also arrested for allegedly helping her: 47-year-old Jose Francisco Robles-Prieto, 41-year-old Joey Frederick Jimenez, and 37-year-old Eric Mathew Jimenez. On Wednesday, Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill announced that all four suspects were charged with first-degree felony kidnapping, with some receiving additional charges.
According to the charges, Smith was seen getting into a car with Joey Jimenez and Eric Jimenez (brothers) after fleeing the courthouse that day. Joey allegedly asked someone for money for a hotel room where he, his brother, Smith and her daughter could hide. The Jimenez brothers were reportedly looking after the 18-month-old while Smith was in court.
Joey Jimenez admitted to police that he dropped Smith off near the Jordan River Trail and the area of 1300-1700 South.
Robles-Prieto is the child's biological father. According to the charges, he met up with Smith after the AMBER Alert went out and told her that she and the baby could stay with him until they figured out what to do.
As Robles-Prieto and Smith walked to his home, a witness told police that he saw the pair walking in the area of 1300 South and Redwood Road, pushing a shopping cart. Police found and stopped them, and Smith allegedly gave a fake name before officers determined that it was her. The baby was in the shopping cart under a pile of blankets. Police said the baby appeared "pale" and "cold," was wearing a thin shirt and pants, and was "soaked in urine." They said she was dirty, was not wearing a diaper, and smelled like cigarettes and "burnt heroin."
In addition to the kidnapping charges, Smith was charged with child abuse and providing a peace officer false personal information. Robles-Prieto received a felony charge of obstruction of justice, as did Eric Jimenez.
"We appreciate the people in our community who helped police get the information they needed to help find this baby and take her to safety. The vigilance of every citizen during an AMBER Alert can help save a child's life," Gill said in Wednesday's announcement. "All persons accused of wrongdoing are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law."
