Amber Alert Activated for 3-Year-Old Kehlani Rogers Missing From Avondale; Police Identify Suspected Abductor

Alert issued after child last seen late Friday night in Avondale

An Amber Alert remained active Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026, for 3-year-old Kehlani Marie Rogers after investigators said she went missing from Avondale, a suburb west of Phoenix. Police said the child was last seen at about 11:30 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 20, near the area of 118th Avenue and Edgemont Avenue, and was believed to be in danger.

State alert information described Rogers as a Black child with brown eyes and brown hair worn in braids, last reported wearing pink pajamas. The alert listed her height as about 3 feet and her weight as 32 pounds.

Suspect initially described only by a nickname; later publicly identified

Early information released to the public described the person believed to be with the child as a short, thin white woman with brown hair in a ponytail and hazel eyes, last seen wearing a white shirt and pink or purple pants. The individual was initially identified only as “Merena” in public-facing materials.

As the search progressed, investigators publicly identified a suspect as Mariana Noriega, 23. Police said Noriega is not a family member of the child. Authorities also indicated the investigation was being driven by tips from the public and follow-up work by detectives.

Surveillance video placed the child and suspect together outside Avondale

Investigators said surveillance footage from a local business placed Noriega and the child together in the city of Maricopa on Saturday, Feb. 21. In an updated description tied to that footage, the child was shown wearing purple pajamas with multicolored smiley faces, while Noriega was shown wearing black-and-white tank tops and pink fuzzy pants.

Police said the circumstances of the child’s disappearance led investigators to treat the case as an abduction and to seek the Amber Alert activation, which is reserved for cases where law enforcement believes a child faces a credible risk of harm and the public can assist with actionable identifying information.

What authorities asked the public to do

• Call 911 immediately if the child or suspect is seen.
• Report sightings or information directly to the Avondale Police Department at 623-333-7000.
• Provide anonymous tips through Silent Witness at 480-948-6377.

Police emphasized that rapidly sharing reliable information—particularly confirmed sightings and location details—can be critical during the early stages of a child-abduction investigation.

As of Sunday morning, the Amber Alert status listed by state officials remained active. Authorities had not announced that the child had been located, and they continued to seek information on her whereabouts.