Woman accused of kidnapping toddler from Seattle daycare pleads not guilty

A woman was arrested and charged for allegedly kidnapping a toddler from a Seattle daycare center following a tense and dramatic series of events that included an Amber Alert and a high-risk vehicle stop in Federal Way. The woman pleaded not guilty in King County Superior Court.

Prosecutors said 46-year-old Quiana Marks walked into the MARS Early Learning Academy in South Seattle around 2:45 p.m. on March 28 and convinced a daycare worker to let her into the area where the 22-month-old, identified in court documents by the initials C.V., was being cared for. The Seattle Police Department (SPD) said the worker was concerned because Marks was allegedly acting suspicious, not following normal protocols for child pickup, and did not provide identification. According to court documents, Marks pushed her way past workers, grabbed the child, and left the scene in her gray Dodge Charger.

Seattle police said they used surveillance footage from nearby security cameras that captured Marks leaving the building with the child and entering a gray Dodge Charger. Police also identified the vehicle’s license plate and initiated an Amber Alert. By 5:30 p.m., a 911 call in Federal Way led police to Marks’ vehicle.

Officers said they attempted a high-risk stop in the parking lot of an O’Reilly’s Auto Store, located at 32411 Pacific Highway South, but Marks ran from the scene, leaving the child alone in the car.

Police find child, 2 handguns in car following daycare kidnapping

Federal Way Police said they found the child unharmed and safe in the front seat of the suspect’s car. Officers said they also found two handguns—an unloaded Glock 19 and a loaded Smith and Wesson .38 special revolver—on the front seat floorboard. According to court documents, the suspect had a valid concealed pistol license.

“Anytime that you have a child involved in a crime and there’s a gun involved, that’s a big concern,” King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office spokesperson Casey McNerthney said. “The reason Amber Alerts are so concerning is because of the potential of what could happen. Until you find that child safely, that’s time where every second probably seems like an hour.”

Marks was later located at a nearby Korean BBQ restaurant after a witness helped guide police to her location. She was arrested and transported to the Seattle Police Department and eventually booked into the King County Jail, where she has remained held on $500,000 bail.

Court documents said, during their investigation, the mother of the toddler told Seattle Police she knew the suspect and that the suspect had been a friend for a few years. However, the mother told police that the relationship soured and that Marks was known to carry multiple handguns, so she and her husband filed for a protection order against Marks.

A King County District Court judge granted a temporary order on March 14; however, when the mother and her husband appeared in court and requested the order remain in effect on March 28—the same day their child was allegedly abducted—a judge denied their request. Prosecutors said Marks joined that court hearing via Zoom. The mother told police she estimated Marks drove to the daycare immediately after the hearing.

The toddler was reunited with her family, and the case is still under investigation.

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