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Tempe girl found; companion arrested
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Valeria Cardenas
Carlos Aguilera
An 11-year-old Tempe girl who disappeared Friday morning, prompting a statewide Amber Alert, was found safe late that night and the man she considered her boyfriend was arrested, police said.
Valeria Cardenas was found at an apartment complex at Broadway Road and Horne in Mesa after 19-year-old Carlos Alberto Mota-Aguilera told investigators she would be there, said Tempe Sgt. Dan Masters.
Police originally believed the girl, who disappeared about 7 a.m., was being taken to Mexico by Mota-Aguilera.
But Mota-Aguilera turned up at his grandmother's house with coworkers about 5 p.m., saying he had been at work all day and hadn't heard from Valeria. An hour later, he changed his story, Masters said.
Investigators did not know whether Mota-Aguilera had help, Masters said. Valeria was expected to be questioned by police and returned to her parents overnight.
Mota-Aguilera was being held on suspicion of custodial interference, a felony.
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