Federal authorities are on the hunt for a California woman accused of kidnapping her 16-month-old son and fleeing to Mexico. Brigette Benitez, 31, is wanted by the FBI after allegedly failing to return her son, Miguel Eduardo Zuniga Medina Jr., to his foster family following an unsupervised visit.
The incident occurred on Feb. 6 when Benitez picked up her son in Walnut, California, for a scheduled visit. However, she did not return him to his legal guardian at the end of the visit, as required. The pair was last seen in a black 2021 Toyota Camry with California license plate 8WAS968.
Benitez has been charged with international parental kidnapping, and a federal arrest warrant has been issued for her. The FBI believes she may have taken Miguel to Aguascalientes, Mexico, where his non-custodial father resides. Investigators revealed that Benitez crossed the border into Mexico at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry in San Diego County.
Miguel’s father, Medina Sr., has a history of violence, including a previous arrest for domestic violence in Los Angeles County. Both Benitez and Medina Sr. lost custody of their son following the arrest, and Miguel was placed in the care of Child and Family Services.
Authorities are urging anyone with information on the whereabouts of Benitez or her son to contact their local FBI office or the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. The search for Benitez and Miguel continues as federal authorities work to bring the child safely back to his foster family.
