HOUSTON (AP/KXAN) – A baby girl has been found safe at an apartment in southwest Houston, two days after her mother was found stabbed to death.
The Amber alert for 6-week-old Shamali Flores has been canceled, Houston police said Thursday in a tweet. She “appears unharmed and is being checked at an area hospital as a precaution.”
Officers found Shamali’s mother’s body in her north Houston apartment Tuesday around noon. Police identified the mother as 33-year-old Carolina Flores. KPRC reports Flores has two other children, ages 7 and 17, and was also taking care of a teenage niece and nephew.
Police had initially believed the infant girl was with her father, Marcos Mariano Palacios. However, they found him late Tuesday in San Antonio, and he said he was not involved in the murder. Authorities say Palacios is not considered a suspect or person of interest in the woman’s death. Originally, authorities released the child’s father’s name as Thomas Bernardez, but that was determined to be an alias.
On Wednesday, Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo said someone who knew the family may have taken the baby and was pretending to be its mother. Acevedo did not say who that person might be.
Houston police say the investigation is “very active” and they expect to release more information later Thursday morning.