Undocumented immigrants arrested in Florida after kidnapping 2 teens from North Carolina, police say | FOX 51 Gainesville
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Undocumented immigrants arrested in Florida after kidnapping 2 teens from North Carolina, police say

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Published  May 13, 2025 9:37am EDT
Missing Persons
FOX 35 Orlando
2 illegal immigrants accused of kidnapping North Carolina teens

2 illegal immigrants accused of kidnapping North Carolina teens

Two illegal immigrants were arrested in Daytona Beach after they allegedly kidnapped two teen girls from North Carolina. FOX 35's Randi Hildreth has the latest from the Volusia County jail.

The Brief

    • Two teen girls from North Carolina were reported missing earlier this month.
    • Police said the girls left a note saying they were leaving with some "guys they met."
    • Officials found the missing girls a day later in Florida with two undocumented immigrants who are now facing kidnapping charges.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Two undocumented immigrants face kidnapping charges after police found them in Florida with two missing teenage girls from North Carolina.

Police said the two teen girls, 14 and 15 years old, were found unharmed. 

2 teen girls reported missing in NC

The backstory:

At 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 3, Clayton County police officers said they responded to a call from parents who said their 14-year-old and 15-year-old daughters were missing. 

The parents told police they had last seen their daughters earlier that day at 1 a.m. 

Officers said they didn’t know if someone had picked the two teens up, but they left a note saying they were leaving with some "guys they met." According to police, the teens left on their own and were not abducted.

Police said neither teen had a phone with them when they left the house.

Missing girls found, 2 men arrested

What we know:

Through an investigation, officials said they identified two men in connection with the case: 22-year-old Edwin Alberto Cardenas and 18-year-old Ericson Leonel Ullo-Flores.

Arrest warrants were obtained the next day for the two men for second-degree kidnapping, and police traveled to the men's residence in Daytona Beach to serve the warrants.

Edwin Alberto Cardenas, 22, and Ericson Leonel Ullo-Flores, 18, face kidnapping charges after police found them with two teenage girls from North Carolina. (Credit: Volusia County Jail)

Authorities said they found both teen girls safe, and they were returned to their parents.

Undocumented immigrants face charges

What's next:

Ullo-Flores and Cardenas were arrested on May 5 and will be transported back to North Carolina to face the charges against them. 

Clayton police said more charges are expected for the two men. Volusia County Jail records show the two men both have an immigration hold. 

The men are currently being held at the Volusia County Jail with no bond. 

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The Source: This story was written based on information shared by the Daytona Beach Police Department in an email on May 7, 2025, as well as in official arrest affidavits and from the Volusia County Jail.

Missing PersonsImmigrationCrime and Public SafetyDaytona BeachVolusia CountyNews