Kidnapped baby whose mother was killed reunites with father

AUSTIN, Texas – A baby girl who was kidnapped and discovered a week later with the body of her slain mother more than 100 miles(160 kilometres) from their Texas home has been reunited with her father, officials said.

Heidi Broussard and her infant daughter, Margot Carey, had last been seen Dec. 12 in their hometown of Austin after Broussard dropped off an older child at an elementary school. On Friday, Broussard was found dead and a baby girl was found safe at a home in the Houston area.

The infant was initially taken into the custody of Texas Child Protective Services, but her paternal grandfather, Ty Carey, said at a vigil Monday night that Margot was returning home.

“She’s coming home tonight,” he said. “That’s the best thing that could ever happen.”

Texas Department of Child Protective Services spokeswoman Tiffani Butler confirmed Tuesday that the child was reunited with her family on Monday night.

Broussard’s body was positively identified by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Science, which called her death a homicide by strangulation, though no murder charges have been filed yet.

A suspect has been arrested on charges of kidnapping and tampering with a corpse, but Austin police have so far refused to disclose that person’s identity, citing the ongoing investigation.

The suspect remained jailed Tuesday on $600,000 bond.