A 9-month-old girl was reported kidnapped in her family’s SUV from outside their Alabama home and feared to be in “extreme danger” — only to be found safe in the vehicle across the street.
Harlow Darby Freeman was found just before 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, halting the Amber Alert and frantic search that came after her family reported their SUV had been stolen with the baby in her car seat.
Police are now saying it’s likely the SUV was never stolen, nor was Harlow abducted.
“Daylight was our friend on this one,” Parrish Police Chief Danny Woodward said, according to AL.com.
Woodward said that police now are wondering if the SUV was never put into park and rolled hundreds of yards down a large embankment into the thick kudzu plant at the bottom of the hill.
“We’re just not sure yet,” he said.
Police are still investigating whether the car rolled down the hill or had been stolen and abandoned.
Harlow was found in good condition and taken to a nearby children’s hospital to be examined.
An Amber Alert that was issued Monday night, when authorities believed Harlow was in “extreme danger,” has been canceled.
The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency had issued an Amber Alert at 9:40 p.m. Monday, hours after Harlow was kidnapped from a residence in the town of Parrish at 6:50 p.m.
Harlow’s mother had issued a frantic plea on Facebook as the search for her baby got underway.
Harlow has brown hair, blue eyes and was last seen wearing a tie-dye onesie and pink shorts, her mother wrote in a frantic plea shared to Facebook.
“Be on the lookout for a 2009 white Lexus SUV RX 350 damage to the back right. My car was stolen and the baby was in the back seat in her car seat!!!” Bethany Smith wrote on Monday.
“If you’re reading this and you know anything. All I ask is for my baby back. Y’all can keep the car!!!!! Just bring me my baby and no questions asked!”
The mother has not written an update since her daughter was found.
Harlow Darby Freeman was kidnapped from a residence in the town of Parrish on Monday. Parrish Police DepartmentThe baby’s aunt, Melinda Hutchison, said the baby was in the vehicle with her father when he quickly ran inside a friend’s house.
He told them he was only gone for a minute or so when the SUV was taken, AL.com reported.
Police issued an Amber Alert for the baby late Monday. The Aware Foundation
The family’s SUV was stolen with the baby in her car seat in the back. Parrish Police Department
Harlow Darby Freeman’s family was offering a $5,000 reward for her safe return. Bethany Smith/FacebookHarlow’s family was offering a $5,000 reward for her safe return.
Authorities have not released information regarding the circumstances of the kidnapping.
