Girl is found safe in Pomona after being kidnapped by grandmother, officials say

A 7-year-old girl who was allegedly kidnapped by her grandmother was found safe Wednesday in Pomona, hours after San Bernardino County authorities launched a search for the girl.

Jasmine “Jazzie” Felix was found walking near Garey Avenue and Phillips Boulevard with her grandmother, Teresa Arias, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.

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A local restaurant owner, George Tsakanias, had seen one of the fliers that Jasmine’s parents had distributed in the afternoon and recognized the girl and her grandmother as patrons of his business, Samos Burgers. Tsakanias located the pair at an apartment complex and alerted the Pomona Police Department, sheriff’s officials said.

Arias was arrested on suspicion of kidnapping. She’s being held in lieu of $1 million bail.

Earlier in the day, Jasmine’s parents had left her alone with her grandmother at their home in Highland while they went to work, according to the Sheriff’s Department.

When the girl’s parents returned home, the grandmother and their daughter were missing. Arias, 63, called the parents and admitted to taking Jasmine, sheriff’s officials said.

Arias said she “was never going to bring her back,” according to a statement released by the Sheriff’s Department.

Investigators had said that Arias could have taken the girl to Pomona, where she was likely trying to obtain money to pay for a bus ticket to Madera, in the San Joaquin Valley.

Arias, a resident of Madera, had lived in the Highland home with Jasmine’s family since November, sheriff’s officials said. She did not have a vehicle and investigators believed she would use public transit.

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