Child Rescued After Cross-Border Abduction by Mother Connected to Sex Offender
In a remarkable display of international cooperation, a three-year-old Alabama child has been safely returned home after being abducted and taken to Mexico by her own mother. The case highlights both the dangers faced by vulnerable children and the effectiveness of cross-border law enforcement collaboration. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations officers, working alongside U.S. and Mexican authorities, successfully rescued little Kionii Haugen after she was kidnapped by her mother, Haley Harris. What makes this case particularly disturbing is the mother’s continued communication with her boyfriend, Pedro Pedraza-Trejo, a previously deported Mexican national facing serious charges of child molestation and rape in Washington state.
The ordeal began when Harris allegedly broke into her ex-partner’s home in Alabama and took her child without authorization. Over the next twelve days, Harris transported the young girl on a harrowing journey through multiple cities including Pensacola, Atlanta, San Diego, Tijuana, and finally Mexico City, where authorities eventually located them. Throughout this dangerous trek, investigators discovered that Harris maintained frequent contact with Pedraza-Trejo, communicating with him an alarming 193 times in just a few days. This persistent contact with an individual charged with sexual crimes against children raised serious concerns about the child’s safety and the mother’s judgment, according to statements from ICE officials.
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin emphasized the severity of the situation, noting that Harris had “violated international parental kidnapping laws by fleeing to Mexico.” The investigation revealed troubling details about Harris’s actions while she had possession of the child, though specific details were not disclosed in the report. What became increasingly clear to investigators was the potential danger posed to the young girl, given Harris’s ongoing relationship with a man whose criminal history includes “multiple child sex crimes, including molestation and rape of a child.” The connection between Harris and Pedraza-Trejo represented a significant factor in the urgency with which authorities pursued the case.
The successful rescue operation demonstrated the effectiveness of international cooperation in child protection cases. After being located in Mexico, Harris was arrested and subsequently extradited to the United States on September 28th to face charges of international parental kidnapping. Meanwhile, young Kionii was safely returned to Orange Beach, Alabama, bringing an end to her twelve-day ordeal away from her home. Steven Schrank, special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Georgia and Alabama, described the case as one that “highlights the power of collaboration between U.S. and international law enforcement agencies,” emphasizing how multiple organizations worked together to ensure the child’s safe return.
The case comes at a time of heightened national discussion about border security and illegal immigration, with particular focus on crimes committed by individuals who have entered the country illegally or been previously deported. Pedraza-Trejo’s status as a previously deported individual with serious criminal charges adds a complex dimension to the case. While the investigation primarily centered on Harris’s actions in kidnapping her child, the involvement of Pedraza-Trejo raised additional concerns about potential threats to the child’s wellbeing. ICE’s statement specifically highlighted “the gravity of her actions and the danger she posed to the child’s safety” through her continued association with Pedraza-Trejo during the abduction.
Looking beyond this individual case, Assistant Secretary McLaughlin reaffirmed the commitment of Homeland Security Investigations to “safeguarding vulnerable children and ensuring that those who endanger them are held accountable.” The successful resolution of this case demonstrates the effectiveness of coordinated law enforcement efforts that cross jurisdictional and international boundaries. For the young victim in this case, the nightmare has ended with her return to safety in Alabama. For Harris, the legal consequences of her actions are just beginning as she faces prosecution for international parental kidnapping. Most importantly, the case serves as a reminder of the continuing need for vigilance in protecting children from those who might exploit or endanger them, even when those dangers come from the very people who should be providing care and protection.
