THORNTON, Colo — A Thornton couple that was reported missing and later located at the U.S.-Mexico border with their young child has been charged with child abuse and drug charges, according to the 17th Judicial District Attorney's Office.
Prosecutors announced Thursday that Liu Mei Li and Zaiqiao Feng are both charged with two counts of child abuse and two marijuana-related drug offenses.
According to an arrest affidavit, Li and Feng flew to San Francisco on March 30 and drove to Mexico City in a rental car. Police said their two-year-old daughter was with them. They were contacted by the U.S. Border Patrol on April 3 while re-entering the U.S. at the California border, the affidavit says.
They were taken into custody and held in the San Diego area, according to the Thornton Police Department (TPD). They were arrested by TPD Wednesday and advised of the charges against them in court Thursday morning.
Relatives of the couple reported to police that they found the family's 7-year-old daughter alone in the front yard of the home at 4056 E. 130th Way at 9:30 p.m. on the night of March 30.
Police said the relatives did not report the family missing until 24 hours after they found the 7-year-old alone.
The young daughter told police that her parents left and said they were going to the grocery store, but never came home.
The older child is currently with a family member, according to TPD. The arrest affidavit says the two-year-old was taken into custody by California Child Protective Services after it was found that she required monthly blood transfusions and had missed her last transfusion.
During their investigation into the family's whereabouts, officers discovered an illegal marijuana grow, TPD said. 176 live plants were found and seized, according to an arrest affidavit.
Feng and Li are due back in court for a formal advisement on April 21.
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