Federal and local authorities have recovered a 5-year-old Arizona girl allegedly abducted by her stepfather, who brought her to Aurora and offered to exchange the girl for 2 ounces of methamphetamine.
Jade Dunn returned to her mother and family in Kingman, Ariz., today, 13 days after she was taken, Phoenix FBI officials said.
Her stepfather, Virgil Kosmicki, 45, was booked into Arapahoe County’s jail on drug charges and will be turned over to the FBI and will await extradition to Arizona, authorities said.
“Child crimes have a very special place in our hearts as children are truly the ‘innocent,'” Aurora’s police chief Dan Oates said. “We are more than happy to assist, and we are grateful that our efforts albeit minimal, have assisted in returning a child home.”
The child’s mother, Jennifer Dunn, contacted authorities in Mohave County on Sept. 6, informing them that her daughter was picked up from school by a woman who was not authorized or expected to pick her up, authorities said.
Earlier this week, the child’s grandmother learned that Jade had been transported out of Arizona and was likely in the Denver area.
FBI agents and Aurora police located the girl at a residence in Aurora. Kosmicki was also located at the residence and arrested, authorities said.
Authorities did not disclose why Kosmicki brought the girl to Colorado or in whose residence the child was found.
Despite the previous relationship between Kosmicki and the victim’s mother, he had no legal rights to be in custody of Jade Dunn, authorities said.
There were no reports of other arrests.
Staff writer Manny Gonzales can be reached at 303-954-1537 or mgonzales@denverpost.com
