Men charged in kidnapping of two migrant children

LAS CRUCES, New Mexico (KVIA) -- New Mexico State Police arrested 40-year-old Saul Rojas Villa and 23-year-old Antonio Guerra Garcia for alleged kidnapping and child abuse.

The pair were driving along I-25 near mile marker 17. They were pulled over after an officer noticed the back passengers were not wearing seatbelts.

The officer found eleven undocumented migrants in the car, as well as an 11-year-old and a 5-year-old girl in the cargo area. When asked by the officer, Guerra Garcia allegedly claimed to be the uncle of the children. Police say, however, that he is not related to the kids. Instead, officials say the children's mother paid the pair to take her kids over the border so they could turn themselves into Border Patrol in El Paso. Instead, police say the pair kept driving north away from the border.

All of the migrants were turned over to Border Patrol and the two children, whose mother lives in Mississippi, will reunite with her once she provides proof of guardianship.