Parents accused of kidnapping children in Boyle Heights surrender

The parents accused of abducting their four children from Boyle Heights surrendered at the U.S.-Mexico border early Sunday, nearly two weeks after their children were found safe, police said.

Enrique Felix and Rosa Chairez, both 28, were back in Los Angeles on Monday morning, in custody on suspicion of kidnapping, the Los Angeles Police Department said.

Police said Chairez contacted detectives at the department’s Hollenbeck station -- which handled the case -- about 10:30 a.m. Sunday and told them she and Felix were willing to surrender. U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agents went to the Otay Mesa crossing and detained the couple.

A statewide Amber Alert was issued after Felix and Chairez allegedly took their children -- Enrique, 7; Justin, 5; and 1-year-old twins Veronica and Janet -- from Chairez’s mother’s home on March 14.

The couple did not have custody of their children, police said, and had been ordered to stay away from them except for supervised visits by Los Angeles County social workers.

Authorities said Felix was also known to be “physically violent” toward Chairez and their children.

Four days later, Felix’s mother contacted detectives and told them she was at the U.S.-Mexico border with the children, police said. The children were brought back to Los Angeles, and arrest warrants were issued for Chairez and Felix.

Police said the couple were in custody at the department’s Hollenbeck station on Monday morning.

kate.mather@latimes.com
Twitter: @katemather | Google+