A couple from Florida, Leon Alejandro Jr., 21, and Samantha Feliz, 20, has been arrested in North Carolina following a yearlong investigation into the presumed death of their infant. The arrests occurred on July 22, 2026, in Rockingham, North Carolina, where the couple had fled during the investigation by Hollywood police into their child's disappearance.
Authorities began investigating the case in early 2025 after receiving information that Feliz had given birth between December 6, 2024, and January 5, 2025, in a location other than a hospital. Family members reportedly saw the couple with the baby during the child's first month of life, but the infant was not seen again after that.
The arrest warrant states that the last known photograph of the child, identified only by the initials A.F., was taken on January 5, 2025, and showed the infant appearing ill and malnourished. Investigators have searched multiple locations with cadaver dogs but have not located the child's remains.
The couple allegedly denied the child's existence, claiming to relatives that the baby was a prank and later stating that the pregnancy was a hoax intended to deceive family members for financial gain. Despite the absence of a birth certificate or medical records, authorities have charged both Alejandro and Feliz with aggravated manslaughter of a child, tampering with evidence, failure to report a death, providing false information regarding a missing child, and making false reports to law enforcement.
The couple was found living on property owned by one of Alejandro's relatives at the time of their arrest. Richmond County Sheriff Mark Gulledge commended the collaborative efforts of multiple agencies in the investigation. Further details regarding the case and the circumstances surrounding the infant's disappearance have not been released.