18-month-old girl allegedly kidnapped by mom's pimp in Southern California

LANCASTER, Calif. -- An 18-month-old girl was allegedly kidnapped by her mother's pimp over the weekend in Lake Los Angeles, authorities said Monday.

Early Saturday morning, Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies from the Lancaster station received a call about a woman who had been physically assaulted. Upon arrival, they discovered young Penelope Rodriguez had been abducted.

An Amber Alert was issued, but authorities later discovered that the girl's 40-year-old mother provided false information in an attempt to protect her pimp and the wrong man had been named.

Sheriff's deputies later arrested the suspected pimp, 35-year-old Brandon Wynn, and a 16-year-old juvenile at Avenue T-8 and 40th Street in Palmdale, who told deputies they left Rodriguez in a shed just blocks away, officials said.

At about the same time, a neighbor alerted authorities after hearing crying from a shed. Deputies rushed to the scene and found Rodriguez in the shed strapped into a car seat. She was taken to a hospital with heat exposure and dehydration and was later released.

Deputies believe that the girl would have died if not for the unusual rain and cloud cover.

Both Wynn and the juvenile were charged with attempted murder. Investigators also seek charges of human trafficking, assault with a deadly weapon, kidnapping, child abuse and robbery.

An investigation was ongoing. Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Major Crimes Bureau Detective Staley at (562) 522-1070.