MINNEAPOLIS — A Twin Cities woman has pleaded guilty to kidnapping her friend’s baby.

WCCO-TV reports 34-year-old Thalia Benson entered the plea Monday to one count of kidnapping. Benson took 2-month-old Elijah Alonzo from his Brooklyn Park home in June. She faces up to 40 years in prison.

The baby’s mother, Christina Alonzo, tells authorities she fell asleep while Benson was at her apartment. She says she woke up around 1:30 a.m. and discovered Benson and her baby were gone.

Authorities say Alonzo called Benson, who denied knowing the baby’s location. They say Benson helped Alonzo search for the child.

Benson’s relatives became suspicious and called police, who found the baby in a vehicle outside Benson’s apartment with Benson’s boyfriend. He tells police Benson had said she was pregnant and the baby was her child.