NEWPORT NEWS, Virginia – The Virginia State Police canceled an AMBER Alert for 3-month-old Jiraiya Sage Cherry after the boy was found safely in Chesterfield County.
“Jiraiya is safe and in our custody,” said Newport News police chief Steve Drew. “Jiraiya was found in Chesterfield around 6:45 pm”
Police said a person was arrested.
“I don’t want to get into the case, because now the pieces put together the puzzle of what really happened …” said Drew. “The important thing is that Jiraiya is safe.”
Drew gave credit to technology and also to public tips to help find the baby.
“We received a lot of information … Some of those calls led to some of the clues we had – and those things were vital,” said Drew. “Thanks to each of you who called. It makes a difference.”
Drew also thanked the Chesterfield Police and the state and federal security forces for their help in the case.
“Information, by God’s grace, worked well and the family is together,” said Drew.
Police were called to block 13,300 on Preakness Drive to report a missing child just before 10:20 am
The police said Jiraiya was allegedly kidnapped by whom they referred to as an “unknown nanny”, but said the circumstances of the child’s disappearance are still under investigation.
“The child is believed to be in extreme danger and was last seen at an address located on Preakness Drive,” said state police.
The police said the boy was kidnapped by a woman they described as a black woman, six to eight feet tall, with brown eyes and long black hair.
Police said the woman, who they said was about 24 and spoke in a southern accent, was last seen wearing a face mask and black jacket.
The police chief said that “key points and interviews” were the reason it took more than six hours for the AMBER Alert to be issued.
“That’s why there was a delay,” explained Drew. “The delay was because we had some investigations that we needed to complete.”
Anyone with information about the case should call the Newport News Police at 757–247–2500.
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This is a developing story, so anyone with more information can send an email to [email protected] to send a tip.