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Man arrested for abduction, death of young Navajo girl

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A Waterflow, N.M., man was arrested Tuesday in connection with the abduction and death of 11-year-old Ashlynne Mike.

Tom Begaye, 27, is scheduled to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge B. Paul Briones in Farmington on Wednesday.

Ashlynne’s body was found Tuesday morning approximately 6 miles south of the Shiprock Monument. She had been abducted in the Fruitland area Monday afternoon.

The FBI is investigating this case with the Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety, New Mexico State Police, San Juan County Sheriff’s Office, Farmington Police Department and the U.S. Marshals Service.

No further information will be released until after Begaye’s court appearance.

Navajo Nation President Russell Begaye issued a statement Tuesday evening following the arrest of Tom Begaye.

“Our Nation has just gone through a tragic event," he said. "I am pleased to know that both Navajo and outside law enforcement were able to work together and share information. This led to the arrest of an individual who is believed to have caused a horrendous crime on one of our Navajo children."

Begaye said the Navajo Nation does have an Amber Alert system in place that works in conjunction with area law enforcement.

"I’d like to praise all our law enforcement officers from the county, state, federal and Navajo Nation for doing a great job," he said. "We appreciate their effort and the long hours they commit to putting their lives on the line. We thank them for protecting us."

"I express my deepest appreciation to law enforcement officials, and I would also like to again extend my condolences to the family of Ashlynne Mike," Begaye added.

TIMELINE

It was reported on Monday that Ashlynne and her younger brother Ian, age 9, were abducted by a male driving a maroon van just north of Mile Marker 13 on Navajo Route 36 near the community of San Juan.

Mike’s parents filed a missing person report with the Shiprock Police Department at approximately 6:53 p.m.

On Monday, at 7:15 pm, it was reported that a motorist heading eastbound on Navajo Route 13, near the Shiprock Pinnacle, picked up Ian Mike as he was walking along the highway.  The motorist took the boy to the Shiprock Police Department.

Ian Mike told the Shiprock Police that driver who abducted the two children had taken them toward the Shiprock pinnacle where he came upon a dead end road and let the boy out.  The abductor released the boy from his vehicle then proceeded on with Ashlynne Mike.

The abductor returned without the Ashlynne Mike and told the young boy to go home.

According to the Shiprock Police Department, Ashlynne Mike was found deceased at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday near the Shiprock pinnacle.

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