A Navajo County Sheriff's deputy bottle-feeds an 11-day-old baby boy after safely recovering him near Winslow. (Navajo County Sheriff's Office)
SURPRISE, Ariz. - An 11-day-old baby boy abducted from Surprise was safely recovered in northern Arizona on Saturday after law enforcement officers intercepted a suspect vehicle near Winslow.
What we know:
The swift recovery brought a high-stakes search across county lines to a safe conclusion after the Navajo County Sheriff’s Office received a statewide Attempt to Locate (ATL) alert, coordinating with state troopers to locate the infant unharmed nearly 200 miles away from home.
According to sheriff's officials, deputies in Navajo County were put on high alert following the newborn's abduction from the West Valley community Friday night. Hours after receiving the vehicle description, on Saturday morning, officers spotted the suspect's car traveling near Winslow and conducted a stop to safely secure the child.
The infant was immediately transported to a local medical facility as a precautionary measure to ensure his health and safety. Authorities confirmed the baby is currently awaiting an emotional reunification with his mother.
Dig deeper:
The father, who does not have custodial rights to the child, had taken the child without permission, Lt. Tim Klarkowski told FOX 10.
"Surprise Police detectives were able to intervene and worked diligently through the night. By investigating this case diligently and thoroughly and communicating with other agencies, the child was located safely," Klarkowski said. "We are thankful to all of our law enforcement partners for their assistance and the investigation is ongoing."
What they're saying:
"We appreciate the assistance of Arizona DPS and are grateful this incident had a safe outcome," Navajo County deputies added.
What we don't know:
Officials have not identified any potential suspects or detailed any formal charges yet.
Map of the area where the newborn was found safe:
The Source: Information in this report was gathered from the Navajo County Sheriff's Office.