Police: Woman kidnapped infant, attacked child's mother after faking pregnancy

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A Charlotte woman is accused of attacking a mother and kidnapping her 1-month-old daughter.

Police said after the kidnapping and attack, 24-year-old Andrea Endara forced the victim to lie and say that her baby had been kidnapped by two men.

Investigators said it appears Endara intended to keep the baby and take care of it as her own.

"Ms. Endara concocted quite an elaborate scheme to fake a pregnancy with her boyfriend and family and friends,” said Capt. Rod Golding with CMPD.

Golding said the scheme included taking her boyfriend to the hospital and persuading her family and friends to throw her a baby shower.

Police said the victim, Carla Paz, recently met Endara. Endara approached Paz at her apartment complex off Beacon Ridge Road, offering to help her find a job, investigators said. On Tuesday, officers said Endara told Paz that she had a job for her and that she would pick her up and take her to the job location. Paz brought along her 4-year-old son and 1-month-old daughter.

Officers said Endara ended up bringing the family to some apartments, where she pulled a knife on Paz instead.

"So at knifepoint, Ms. Endara took the 1-month-old and 4-year-old into an apartment and subsequently came back with the 4-year-old in the car, and they proceeded to leave that apartment," Golding said.

Endara's neighbor, Amber Cooper, said she saw Endara with the children but had no clue she was witnessing a kidnapping in progress.

"She was holding the baby, whispering to the baby, you know, like mothers do," Cooper said.

Police said Endara then left the complex and drove Paz and 4-year-old around for nearly an hour and, at some point, bludgeoned the mother with a tire iron.

The 4-year-old was not hurt. Police said the mother fought back and begged Endara to take her back home to her husband.

"Ms. Endara agreed to take mother back over there under the conditions that the mother not tell her husband what had happened and to tell her husband that the 1-month-old was kidnapped by two black males in a gray car," Golding said.

But Paz’s husband, Rodney Paz, called police, and officers were able to unravel Endara's alleged scheme. Officers found the baby safe inside Endara's apartment with her boyfriend, who police said thought the baby was his.

Rodney Paz told Eyewitness News he was relieved to have his family home safe.

"I'm just thankful to my God to have my baby and my wife,” he said.

Endara is being charged with attempted murder, three counts of kidnapping, assault with a deadly weapon and assault on a child under 12.

WSOC