DELTONA, Fla. (AP) - A central Florida woman was joyously reunited with her daughter after nearly five years after authorities tracked the girl down in Mexico.
The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office said Jodie Borchert of Deltona was reunited with her 12-year-old daughter Saturday in Miami, where the girl was transported after being found in the mountainous region of Hidalgo, Mexico, about two hours outside Mexico City. The child’s father, Aaron Cox, fled with the girl in August 2009, police said.
Cox, 55, was arrested and charged with interference with child custody. He is being held in Miami, awaiting extradition to Volusia County. It’s not known whether he has obtained an attorney.
“It is such a huge relief to bring this case to a successful conclusion,” said Brandon Haught, a spokesman for the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office. “Reports are the girl is extremely happy to be reunited with her family.”
Authorities have pursued the case since the girl’s disappearance, but said no viable leads had emerged until Monday, when a tip was received at the National Center For Missing and Exploited Children. Over the following five days, the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office worked with U.S. Marshals, the State Attorney’s Office and the Florida/Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force.
Cox was arrested without incident, authorities said. The man and his daughter had been living in Mexico under assumed names.
The Daytona Beach News-Journal reported (https://bit.ly/1jWewE4 ) Cox could face additional charges and an investigation is still ongoing.
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Information from: Daytona Beach (Fla.) News-Journal, https://www.news-journalonline.com
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