MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – The mother of a 2-month-old baby taken from her home Tuesday says she forgives the woman accused of kidnapping her child.
“I’m not going to put her out as a bad person,” said Christina Alonzo. “She is a really good person. I’ve known her for so long.”
Alonzo says the suspect, Thalia Benson, is a close family friend. Police arrested Benson Tuesday after baby Elijah Alonzo was found safe.
Alonzo says the last thing she remembers about the night Elijah went missing was sitting on the couch with Benson, her friend of 17 years.
She said they had been drinking lightly, and she began to feel ill.
“I was right here, where I’m sitting…I just passed out,” Alonzo said.
She says Elijah was lying right next to her. It wasn’t until she woke up in the middle of the night that she realized Elijah was missing and immediately called Benson.
Alonzo said Benson told her she didn’t have Elijah .
At 6 a.m., Benson showed up at Alonzo’s door, asking if she’d found Elijah. That’s when they called police, and, shortly after, they were both taken in for questioning.
Police found Elijah Tuesday afternoon after Benson’s sister told police she saw the baby in Benson’s car.
Alonzo says, given the opportunity to talk to Benson, she would tell her she forgives her.
“She has so many problems in her life — her brother had passed away, she lost her baby, she’s on medication,” Alonzo said. “I really wanted them to get some help.”
Benson’s boyfriend, who was also taken into custody, was released Wednesday.
Alonzo was taken to the hospital to get some blood drawn Tuesday. She said police wanted to see if she’d been drugged before the kidnapping. She said the tests came back negative.
