Update: Forsyth 6-year-old abducted by father found safe in Mexico

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — A 6-year-old girl who was the subject of an Amber Alert this week in Forsyth County has been found safe.

Rachel Zecena, 6, and her mother Balvanera Esperanz Parada-Olivas were believed to have been taken against their will by Rachel’s father Alexis R. Zecena-Lopez.

Cumming police said Wednesday that Zecena and her mother were found safe in Mexico and are now back with U.S. law enforcement officials. Alexis Zecena has been arrested in connection to the kidnapping and is currently awaiting extradition to the U.S.

U.S. Marshals and the FBI helped track the family down. It’s unclear where they were found in Mexico.

Police said the investigation is ongoing.

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The trouble began the day after Christmas when Parada-Olivas went to pick up her daughter who had contracted COVID-19. When she didn’t return home, the mother’s boyfriend got worried and called police.

Police launched an investigation and discovered that Zecena-Lopez was out on bond. Officers arrested him in August and charged him with raping and kidnapping his ex-wife. He was then ordered to wear an ankle monitor.

“We got information on Monday that he actually removed his ankle monitor that he’s supposed to be wearing as part of his bond conditions,” Marsh said.

When Cumming police showed up at his home Monday morning to arrest him, he was nowhere to be found. Neither was 6-year-old Rachel or her mother.

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