Aranza was in the state’s custody when she was abducted. She was placed in foster care in 2017 following founded complaints of physical abuse by Lopez-Lopez. The girl was reportedly covered in large bruises, and Lopez-Lopez was deemed a danger based on a history of abuse, her lack of participation in a mental health assessment and her erratic behavior. She was granted twice-weekly supervised visitation, according to court records.
After the abduction, Lopez-Lopez was on the run in Mexico for about a year, before being arrested and extradited, The Columbian previously reported.
She pleaded guilty in January 2021 to second-degree kidnapping and robbery and first-degree custodial interference in Clark County Superior Court. She was sentenced to 20 months in prison.
At the time, Lopez-Lopez said she no longer knew where her daughter was, but the prosecution said she was helping investigators search for her. Her defense attorney said Lopez-Lopez believed the girl was safe with family, The Columbian previously reported.
Other investigating agencies included the FBI’s Legal Attache in Mexico City; Vancouver Police Department; Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families; Fiscalia General del Estado de Michoacan; and the Instituto Nacional de Migracion.
