Salt Lake City police made a dramatic arrest Friday night after an Amber Alert led to the discovery of an 18-month-old girl hidden under blankets in a shopping cart alongside her noncustodial mother and three accomplices. The incident unfolded hours after Holly Angelina Smith, 32, lost custody rights during a court hearing earlier that day.
Authorities say Smith allegedly fled with her daughter, Josephina Jimenez, aided by Jose Francisco Robles-Prieto (47), Joey Jimenez (41), and Eric Mathew Jimenez (37). Police located the group near Redwood Road and Paxton Avenue after tips pointed to suspicious activity involving a concealed shopping cart. Officers found drug paraphernalia at the scene but confirmed the child was unharmed despite freezing nighttime temperatures.
Charges and Community Response
- Smith faces charges of child kidnapping and endangerment
- Accomplices charged with obstruction of justice
- Robles-Prieto allegedly knew about the Amber Alert while hiding the child
“This was a coordinated effort to defy a court order,” stated police in their report, emphasizing that all four suspects actively evaded detection for hours. The case has reignited discussions about custody disputes and Amber Alert protocols statewide.
