Missing 4-year-old girl in Rock Island, Illinois at center of Amber Alert is found safe
Five people were taken into custody in connection to this case, police said Thursday.
A 4-year-old child who was at the center of an hours-long urgent search in Illinois this week has been found safe, and five people were taken into custody in connection to the case.
The girl was in the back seat of a brown Saturn Outlook when it was stolen on Thursday morning just after 6:00 a.m., according to the Rock Island Police Department.
Officers were immediately notified about the incident and started conducting search efforts. Minutes later, the vehicle was found "unoccupied" in another area, police said.
This prompted law enforcement to post the child's picture on social media, providing her outfit details: pink jacket, pink boots, and blue pants.
Authorities also launched an Amber Alert, used drones, and conducted voluntary searches at local properties to track her down.
"For almost nine hours, teams of law enforcement and volunteers combed the neighborhood with no sign..." Rock Island Police stated.
Girl reunites with her mother hours later, police say
According to police, the child was found that afternoon around 3 p.m. "in apparent good health" and taken to the local fire department with her mother. In addition, five individuals were taken into custody and are facing charges.
One of them is 18-year-old Jaron Bailey-Harris, who was charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and possession of a stolen vehicle, police said.
Four juveniles, ages ranging from 14 to 16, were hit with possession of a stolen vehicle charge. One of the teens is facing an additional kidnapping charge.
According to NBC Chicago, the victim's vehicle was stolen the same night as multiple other thefts in the area.
"While this incident had the high potential to become an unbelievable tragedy, it ultimately resulted in the best possible outcome, due large in part to the incredibly cooperative efforts between the Quad City," Rock Island Police Chief Tim McCloud said in a statement. "State and Federal Law Enforcement agencies working side by side with concerned citizens and our media organizations."
Rock Island is about 170 miles from Chicago.
Taylor Ardrey is a news reporter for Paste BN. You can reach her at tardrey@gannett.com.