3-year-old Kehlani Rogers from Avondale was the subject of an Amber Alert. Employees from Camelback Moving Company were the unlikely heroes bringing her to safety.
PHOENIX — A Valley moving company became unlikely heroes when a woman suspected of abducting a 3-year-old from Arizona entered a gas station.
Kehlani Rogers, a 3-year-old from Avondale, was the subject of an Amber Alert on Feb. 21 and was later found safe and in good health, the Avondale Police Department said.
But before she was found, a witness reported seeing Kehlani and the woman accused of kidnapping her, Marina Noriega, near 27th Avenue and Indian School Road in Phoenix.
Chad Olsen, president and founder of Camelback Moving in Phoenix, said some of his employees heard the Amber Alert tone go off on their phones while they were stopped at a QuikTrip.
“Like most moving companies and trades workers, before they hit their job, they stop and get coffee, donuts, energy drinks,” Olsen told 12News in an interview. “We had eight gentlemen there, three trucks, and the security guard that we were familiar with at the QT notified us that he thought that the Amber Alert suspect had just walked in with the child.”
The security guard called 911, and Olsen said his crews ultimately decided to block the vehicle that the security guard believed Noriega was driving.
Approximately 90 seconds after the trucks moved into place, the police arrived.
And while Olsen said he was surprised his crew happened to be at the right place at the right time, he wasn’t surprised that his employees sprang to action.
“I know many of these men and their character, and our core values and giving back to the community, and I was really proud to listen to the dash cam conversation of them… and deciding to get involved and take action,” Olsen said. “It just really proves that these Amber Alerts work, and good people are out there.”
The timing of the incident also coincided with the moving company working on a training called Truckers Against Trafficking, an Arizona Department of Public Safety and Arizona Trucking Association program aimed at helping truckers and movers know what signs to look for to prevent trafficking from happening.
“Truckers, movers are in a unique position to prevent this or to at least recognize some of the signs of trafficking that occur because we’re in the homes,” Olsen said. “…Other service providers may not have this engagement.”
Olsen said he’s thankful police responded as quickly as they did, and he’s proud of his team for jumping into action.
“We’re a moving company, we’re not professional heroes or anything of the sort, but we’re good people, and we do the right thing,” Olsen said.
Noriega is in custody with the Avondale Police Department. She will be booked into the Maricopa County Jail system and faces several charges related to this incident.
Watch 12News+ for free
You can now watch 12News content anytime, anywhere, thanks to the 12News+ app!
The free 12News+ app from 12News lets users stream live events — including daily newscasts like “Today in AZ” and “12 News” and our daily lifestyle program, “Arizona Midday”—on Roku and Amazon Fire TV.
12News+ showcases live video throughout the day for breaking news, local news, weather and even an occasional moment of Zen showcasing breathtaking sights from across Arizona.
Users can also watch on-demand videos of top stories, local politics, I-Team investigations, Arizona-specific features and vintage videos from the 12News archives.
Roku: Add the channel from the Roku store or by searching for “12 News KPNX.”
Amazon Fire TV: Search for “12 News KPNX” to find the free 12News+ app to add to your account, or have the 12News+ app delivered directly to your Amazon Fire TV through Amazon.com or the Amazon app.
Up to Speed
Catch up on the latest news and stories on the 12News YouTube channel. Subscribe today.