Amber Alert: Missing North Carolina 2-year-old found safe, father arrested in Maryland

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Thursday, April 9, 2020
Missing 2-year-old found safe, father arrested in Maryland
Missing 2-year-old found safe, father arrested in Maryland

DURHAM, North Carolina -- An Amber Alert out of North Carolina lasted about six hours Thursday morning before the child was found safe in Maryland.

The police department in Durham, North Carolina issued the alert for 2-year-old Jeremy Rivas-Munoz on Thursday morning.

Investigators said the child's father, 22-year-old Emerson Melendez Rivas, stabbed the child's mother before taking the boy. She was taken to the hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries, officers said.

Warrants for attempted first-degree murder, assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury, and first-degree burglary were issued for Melendez-Rivas.

At around 11:30 a.m., Durham Police Department officers said Melendez-Rivas and the toddler were found in Prince George's County, Md.

Investigators said the child is OK and Melendez-Rivas is in custody.

Rivas is described as 5 feet, 10 inches tall, and 170 pounds. The man has black hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a black shirt and tan shorts. Rivas has a skull tattoo on his neck and rose tattoo on his left hand.

It's not known where the two were going. The vehicle involved is a blue sedan, possibly a Toyota Camry.

Officers said Rivas is considered armed and dangerous.

If you have any information regarding this abduction, call the Durham Police Department immediately at (919) 475-2263, or call 911.