COLUMBUS (WCMH) — Columbus Police say a child and vehicle reported missing Tuesday morning have been found, and the child’s mother is thankful for everyone who made that return happen.
Police say the vehicle and child were found in the area of North Ohio Avenue and Hildreth Avenue, more than 11 miles from where the child was taken.
According to Columbus Police, the 4-month-old was in the back of a maroon 2008 Acura MDX with Ohio plates that was stolen from Tamarack Circle Tuesday morning.
The mother, Dorofa Kamara, wants to thank police, central Ohioans, and the power of social media that helped bring her son, Alpha Kamara, back to her.
She said had the Amber Alert not been issued, her child could have been sitting in a parking lot dead.
Police said Kamara was dropping her children off at around 8:24 a.m. at the Kindercare on the 1900 block of Tamarack Circle so she could go to a job interview.
As she was taking the first child into the center, she turned and in a matter of seconds, saw two suspects take off in her Acura with her 4-month-old in the back seat.
Kamara said she actually talked to the suspects before going into the daycare center, asking if her car was in their way, but they didn’t respond to her. She didn’t think much of the exchange at the time, thinking they were dropping off children as well.
Around noon, Kamara received a phone call that her son was found and taken to Nationwide Children’s Hospital, and at approximately 12:45 p.m., she was cleared to take him back home.
All he has is a small cold, but will otherwise be OK.
Police told Kamara that the two suspects put a blanket over the child and even fed him, leading her to believe her son was not intended to be taken.
“I took my kids to daycare,” Kamara said. “I have a 2-year-old. She’s afraid of the snow. She gets jealous with this little one. Normally, what I do is get my luggage and then take the baby.”
There is no suspect information at this time.
Police ask anyone with information to call 911 or 1-877-262-3764.
