Missing infant girl in car seat found after being feared in ‘extreme danger’
A nine-month-old girl who was believed to be kidnapped has been found in her father’s SUV across the street from where it was reported stolen.
Police in the Alabama town of Parrish issued an amber alert on Monday night to help find infant Harlow Darby Freeman who they suspected was in ‘extreme danger’.
Harlow was discovered shortly before 8.30am on Tuesday by cops who were searching the area around her Walker County home for the fourth time, AL.com reported.
She was found as she was last seen, sitting in her car seat, according to Parrish police Chief Danny Woodard. One of the windows of the SUV was previously broken, which allowed Harlow to have some ventilation.
Harlow was dehydrated but otherwise in good condition and transported to Children’s of Alabama in Birmingham to be examined.
‘Daylight was our friend on this one,’ said Woodard.
While an investigation continues, officials think it is unlikely that the SUV was stolen. It is possible that the parking break was not put on and that it rolled hundreds of yards onto an embankment, Woodard said.
‘We’re just not sure yet,’ he said.
Police are not ruling out that it was done by someone.
Cops responded around 7pm on Monday when Harlow’s dad said she was in her car seat and that he ran into a friend’s home, only to come back and find his SUV gone.
Harlow’s mother, Bethany Smith, posted on Facebook that she was in the SUV when it was stolen.
‘I’m begging you to please bring my baby to me,’ wrote Smith. ‘You can drop the baby off wherever you want, just call me or message me and let me know where she is. No questions asked, I swear.’
Cops received several reports of an SUV speeding away in the area on Tuesday, according to Woodard.
The family offered a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to finding Harlow.
‘This is not something that happens in a small town like Parrish. This is a strange turn of event,’ Woodard said.
‘Luckily, the child was found safe and we’re going to continue to investigate.’
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