Police plead for return of Las Vegas toddler whose mom was killed

Milwaukee police on Friday pleaded for the return of a missing 2-year-old girl, the daughter of a Las Vegas woman who police say was killed Monday by the girl’s father, saying anyone holding her would likely not be prosecuted if she is released unharmed.

“If you release Noelani now, and she is not harmed, you will likely not be prosecuted,” said Milwaukee Police Chief Alfonso Morales, holding up a photo of Noelani Robinson at a news conference. “However, if you continue to hold Noelani in your possession, we will eventually find you and her, and you will be prosecuted to the highest degree of the law.”

The department’s plea to the public, as well as a $5,000 reward posted by the FBI for information leading to Noelani’s safe return, came four days after Sierra Robinson, her 24-year-old mother, was gunned down outside a residence in Milwaukee.

Noelani has been missing since the shooting and was believed to have been with her father, 34-year-old Dariaz L. Higgins.

But the girl was not with Higgins when he was arrested Wednesday afternoon near Timmerman Airport in Milwaukee on charges of first-degree intentional homicide with a deadly weapon and first-degree reckless endangerment with a deadly weapon, police have said.

Police said Higgins has ties across the country, including Las Vegas, Miami, Michigan and Illinois, and Morales on Friday described this case as a “textbook definition” of human trafficking. He did not elaborate other than to say that human trafficking was “the world these two individuals live in, the suspect and the victim.”

Las Vegas Justice Court records show a person by the name of Dariaz Higgins was charged with pandering, sex trafficking of an adult, battery with a deadly weapon and accepting earnings from a prostitute. The case was dismissed in November 2014.

During Friday’s press conference, Milwaukee police also characterized Higgins as a “cold-blooded killer,” saying that he had intentionally provided investigators with false information about Noelani’s whereabouts following his arrest.

“Our search to find Noelani has become a game to him,” Morales said.

Anyone with information is asked to call Milwaukee police at 414-935-7022 or their local police. Morales also asked that any one who may have Noelani to turn her over to a hospital, police or fire station, school or church.

A vigil for Sierra Robinson will be held Saturday evening at Aliante Park in North Las Vegas.

Contact Rio Lacanlale at rlacanlale@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0381. Follow @riolacanlale on Twitter.