NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Virginia State Police have canceled an AMBER Alert for 3-month-old Jiraiya Sage Cherry after the boy was found safe in Chesterfield County.
"Jiraiya is safe and is in our custody," Newport News Police Chief Steve Drew said. "Jiraiya was found in Chesterfield around 6:45 p.m."
Officers said 20-year-old Tykirah Reid of Chesterfield was arrested and charged with abduction, child neglect, obstruction of justice and petit larceny in connection to the baby's disappearance.
She is being held at the Chesterfield County Jail without bond.
"I do not want to go into the case, because now the pieces of putting that puzzle together of what actually happened...," Drew said. "What's important is that Jiraiya is safe."
Drew credited technology as well as tips from the public in helping find the infant.
"We had a lot of information coming in... Some of those phone calls led to some of the leads that we had -- and that stuff was vital," Drew said. "Thank you to each and every one of you who called. It makes a difference."
Drew also thanked Chesterfield Police, state and federal law enforcement for their help in the case.
"The information, by the grace of God, it played out right and that family is back together," Drew said.
Police were called to the 13300 block of Preakness Drive for a report of a missing child just before 10:20 a.m.
Officers said Jiraiya was reportedly abducted by who they referred to as an "unknown babysitter," but said the circumstances of the child’s disappearance still remain under investigation.
The police chief said "key points and interviews" were the reason it took more than six hours for the AMBER Alert to be issued.
"That was why there was a delay there," Drew explained. "The delay was that we had some investigation that we had to complete."
Anyone with information about the case is urged to call Newport News Police at 757–247–2500.
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This is a developing story, so anyone with more information can email newstips@wtvr.com to send a tip.
