Woman Allegedly Killed Houston Mom and Passed off Abducted Newborn as Her Own After Suffering Miscarriage
Disturbing new details have been released about the alleged motive behind the killing of a 33-year-old Texas mother and the abduction of her 6-week-old daughter.
The case resulted in an AMBER Alert that ended Thursday when the child, Shamali Flores, was found safe.
PEOPLE confirms with Houston Police that mom Carolina Flores’ suspected killer, 28-year-old Erika Miranda-Alvarez, suffered a miscarriage recently. For unspecified reasons, she allegedly wanted to hide this fact from her family.
According to police, Miranda-Alvarez is an acquaintance of Flores’ family, and allegedly knew Flores had recently given birth. Miranda-Alvarez’s due date was next month.
After losing her pregnancy, Miranda-Alvarez allegedly told relatives she had given birth the week before the killing, and that she had returned home from the hospital.
Police allege she was passing off Flores’ newborn as her own.
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Flores was found dead in her Houston home on Tuesday. She died from multiple stab wounds.
Police have not said what led them to Miranda-Alvarez, but late Wednesday, while surveilling her apartment, they allegedly spotted her and her boyfriend and an infant they believed to be Shamali.
Officers moved in and took all three into custody, just as the couple was about to leave the apartment complex.
Miranda-Alvarez has been charged with capital murder — a charge she has yet to enter a plea to.
It was unclear Friday if she had an attorney.
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The suspect’s boyfriend has not been charged; police say he was unaware Miranda-Alvarez miscarried.
Shamali, according to police, is healthy and unharmed.
Attempts to reach Miranda-Alvarez’s relatives as well as Flores’ family were unsuccessful Friday.
