Full Breakdown
Grandmother Charged After Amber Alert Leads to Safe Recovery of 6-Year-Old in Albuquerque
By Drooid · · How we work
Incident Overview
On September 18, 2026, an Amber Alert was issued in Albuquerque after 6-year-old Amadeo Esquibel was reported missing. Police located the child later that day and canceled the alert. The boy was found with his 66-year-old grandmother, Marie Esquibel, who was subsequently taken into custody.
Background and Prior Concerns
According to a criminal complaint, Amadeo tested positive for narcotics after a prior visit with Marie Esquibel, prompting a school change. Police allege that Marie learned the child attended Cochiti Elementary School by impersonating an employee of the Children, Youth and Families Department (CYFD). On September 16, she called the boy’s previous school, posed as a CYFD employee, and obtained confidential information about his enrollment at the Northwest Albuquerque elementary.
Legal Charges and Custody
Marie Esquibel has been charged with kidnapping and child endangerment. Court records show she is being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center. The complaint notes that she left Cochiti Elementary with an unidentified male after convincing school staff to release the child. The father, Anthony Balderrama, arrived at the school shortly after the child’s release, learned of the situation, and notified police, triggering the Amber Alert.
Law Enforcement Response
Albuquerque police stated that both Marie Esquibel and the child’s mother were prohibited from seeing Amadeo. A police spokesperson confirmed that the child was taken into protective custody after his safe recovery and that the grandmother was arrested. Federal partners assisted in locating the pair. The unknown male accompanying Marie Esquibel has not been identified.
Community and Institutional Reactions
The incident prompted public concern about student-information security. Albuquerque Public Schools was contacted for comment on protocols to prevent unauthorized access to student records and to secure pick-up procedures; no response had been received at the time of reporting. The case underscores the challenges of safeguarding vulnerable children when family members are barred from custody.