A Florida couple is facing serious charges after police say their newborn vanished under suspicious circumstances—and that they reportedly told family the baby was nothing more than a “prank.”
Leon Alejandro Jr., 21, and Samantha Feliz, 20, were arrested Wednesday in Rockingham, North Carolina, after authorities say they fled their home in Hollywood, Florida, amid an investigation into the disappearance of their infant child. The pair are now being held without bond, awaiting extradition back to Florida.
According to court documents, Hollywood police began looking into the case earlier this year after learning Feliz allegedly gave birth in secret sometime between December 6, 2024, and January 5, 2025. The birth reportedly did not take place at a hospital and was hidden from others.
Family members reportedly saw the couple with the baby during its first month of life, but after that, the child was never seen again. The infant, identified in records only as “A. F.
,” is believed to have been last photographed on January 5, 2025. In that image, investigators claim the baby appeared “visibly ill and malnourished” and showed “no signs of life.”
Despite searching multiple locations with cadaver dogs, authorities say the child’s remains have not been found. The arrest warrant alleges that Alejandro and Feliz repeatedly insisted the baby never existed, telling relatives the pregnancy was a “hoax” designed to scam family members out of money, according to local reports.
Investigators say they recovered baby clothing, a positive pregnancy test, and blood-stained towels from a storage unit linked to the couple. DNA testing reportedly confirmed the blood belonged to a biological child of both suspects.
The couple is now charged with aggravated manslaughter of a child, tampering with evidence, and making false reports, among other offenses. Authorities believe the pair fled to North Carolina and were living on property owned by one of Alejandro’s relatives when they were arrested on July 22.
Richmond County Sheriff Mark Gulledge praised the teamwork that led to the arrests, calling it a strong example of agencies working together across state lines.
But with no remains found and the child’s fate still a mystery, one big question remains: What really happened to baby A.F.?
