The month-long search for a missing Houston toddler has ended with the child found in Minnesota and his mother under arrest. One-year-old Noah Mi'aani Jah-sae Johnson, the subject of a widespread Amber Alert, was located safe in Minneapolis according to the Harris County Precinct 8 Constable's Office Facebook page.
The arrest was made Thursday after officials were tipped off at about 2:30 p.m. that Noah had been found. Noah's mother, Kamilah Johnson, was taken into custody by the Minneapolis Police Department. She was arrested on an active warrant for child endangerment, a charge filed back in her home county of Harris. As reported by ABC13, the alert for Noah was initially issued locally on February 8 but later expanded statewide as efforts to locate the boy intensified.
The case grabbed headlines after Noah was reported missing on February 6, sparking a nationwide Amber Alert. The search for the 1-year-old intensified as tips led authorities across state lines, with alerts issued also in Missouri and Minnesota over the last three weeks. At the last update, investigators had reported that Kamilah Johnson was seen at a Walmart in Kansas City.
"At this time, we can report that Noah is safe and is getting the medical attention he desperately needs," stated the Harris County Precinct 8 Constable's Office in a release obtained by the Houston Chronicle. Whether or not Noah will be returned to Houston remains unclear. Meanwhile, his mother awaits extradition back to Harris County to face charges.
Earlier this month, a Texas Department of Family Protective Services caseworker had advised Kamilah Johnson to get her baby medical attention during a welfare check, as reported by Houston Chronicle. Johnson had taken Noah from the hospital against medical advice on January 30, triggering concerns for his wellbeing. Details on the circumstances leading to the child's discovery and the mother's capture have not been fully disclosed.
