AVONDALE, Arizona — The nightmare gripping Arizona has taken a devastating new turn: the woman now named as the prime suspect in the abduction of 3-year-old Kehlani Marie Rogers was actually invited into the family home — by the child’s own father.

Police have confirmed that 23-year-old Marina Noriega was hired by Kehlani’s father as a last-minute babysitter just hours before the little girl vanished from her bed late Friday night, February 20, 2026.

What began as a routine childcare arrangement has exploded into one of the most chilling abduction cases the state has seen in years.

According to detectives, the father contacted Noriega — someone he reportedly knew through mutual acquaintances — to watch Kehlani while he and the mother went out for the evening. Noriega arrived at the residence in the 11800 block of Edgemont Street shortly before the parents left. Everything appeared normal. The toddler was put to bed in her pink pajamas, hair in neat braids, safe in her own room.

Then she disappeared.

Sometime after 11:30 p.m., Kehlani was taken from the home. No signs of forced entry. No struggle heard by neighbors. Just silence — until the parents returned and realized their daughter was gone.

Panic set in. A frantic 911 call at approximately 1:15 a.m. Saturday triggered an immediate Amber Alert that lit up every highway sign, phone screen, and news ticker across Arizona and into neighboring states.

Police moved fast. Acting on a torrent of public tips and rapid investigative work, detectives identified Marina Noriega as the primary suspect by midday Saturday. Surveillance footage from a business in Maricopa County sealed the case: grainy but unmistakable images show Noriega walking alongside little Kehlani on Saturday afternoon, February 21.

The toddler is now wearing purple pajamas with multicolor smiley faces — clothing she was not in when she went to bed. Noriega is seen in a black-and-white tank top and pink fuzzy pants, casually holding the child’s hand as if nothing was wrong.

That CCTV still is now the last confirmed sighting of Kehlani alive and unharmed — and it has sent shockwaves through the community.

“She was literally hired to protect this baby,” one law enforcement source told reporters. “The father trusted her to watch his daughter for a few hours. Instead, she took her. We don’t know why. We don’t know where they are. But every minute counts.”

Noriega, described as a 5-foot-1-inch white female weighing about 100 pounds, with long brown hair often in a ponytail and hazel eyes, has vanished. No vehicle description has been released, but authorities believe she may still be in the Phoenix metro area or heading toward the border.

The motive remains shrouded in mystery. Police have not disclosed whether Noriega has a criminal history, mental health issues, or any prior connection to the family beyond the babysitting arrangement. What is clear is the betrayal: a caregiver turned kidnapper, a night of trusted childcare turned into a life-or-death crisis.

Neighbors in the quiet Avondale cul-de-sac are reeling.

“I saw the dad leave with his wife,” one resident said. “Everything seemed normal. Lights went out. Then all hell broke loose when they came back and she was gone.”

Another neighbor recalled hearing nothing unusual overnight — no screams, no car doors, no commotion. “That’s what makes it so terrifying. She just walked out with the baby like it was nothing.”

Kehlani’s family is in agony. Relatives described the toddler as a joyful, energetic little girl who loved to dance, sing, and cuddle with her stuffed animals. “She’s just a baby,” an aunt told reporters outside the home, voice breaking. “She doesn’t understand any of this. We just want her back safe.”

The Amber Alert remains active, with every law enforcement agency in Arizona on high alert. Billboards flash Kehlani’s smiling face and Noriega’s mugshot-style image. Social media is flooded with shares, prayers, and theories. The public has responded with hundreds of tips — some credible, many desperate.

Avondale Police Chief Ken Cost joined a tearful press conference Saturday evening.

“This is not a stranger abduction in the traditional sense,” he said. “This is someone the family trusted. That makes it even more heartbreaking. We believe Kehlani is in imminent danger. If you see Marina Noriega or a small child matching Kehlani’s description, do not approach. Call 911 immediately.”

As night falls on day two, fear grips the Valley. Parents are double-checking locks, hugging their children tighter, staring at every passing car. The image of Kehlani in her smiley-face pajamas, walking beside the woman who was supposed to keep her safe, has become the defining picture of a statewide manhunt.

Somewhere out there, a 3-year-old girl who trusted the person holding her hand is missing.

The babysitter who was supposed to protect her is now the most wanted woman in Arizona.

And time is running out.