Two people wanted in Maryland on kidnapping charges were arrested in Columbia, Mississippi, after a traffic stop and a juvenile later was confirmed safe, the Columbia Police Department said.
Police said officers stopped a vehicle Saturday for speeding and identified the driver as Celso Galvez Morales. A records check showed Morales was a fugitive wanted in Maryland on kidnapping charges, and he was taken into custody without incident. A 4-month-old child who was in the vehicle was turned over to the Mississippi Department of Child Protective Services, police said.
Officers later identified Morales’ girlfriend, Laura Ignacio Martinez, as another suspect in the Maryland case. Columbia police said Martinez was located and arrested Sunday without incident. After contacting the Forrest County Sheriff’s Office, police confirmed the juvenile identified as the victim in the kidnapping case had been found safe.
Columbia Police Chief Adrien Fortenberry praised the officers involved. “Incidents like this highlight the importance of proactive policing and thorough attention to detail,” Fortenberry said. Both suspects are being held at the Marion County Correctional Facility pending extradition, police said. Officials did not provide additional details about the victim or clarify how the 4-month-old in the vehicle was connected to the suspects.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
