In what can only be described as a tense episode for local authorities and an Erie family, a 4-month-old infant reported missing has been safely recovered by Pittsburgh police, as confirmed by Erie law enforcement officials on Tuesday. The baby girl, who had been last seen with her father, Justin J. Jefferson, sparked a statewide advisory after she went missing. Jefferson, a 31-year-old Pittsburgh resident, is now facing a series of charges, which include endangering the welfare of a child, reckless endangerment, and terroristic threats, detailed by an Erie deputy police chief in a statement, as reported by WTAE.
The ordeal began when authorities were alerted by the child's mother on Monday after Jefferson allegedly failed to return their daughter following a custodial visit, and instead fled to Pittsburgh, with the Erie police launching a pursuit upon receiving the information. He's been accused of putting the child on his lap while driving and threatening to crash the vehicle, endangering both their lives after an argument with the mother, according to the affidavit reported by GoErie. The altercation escalated to the point where Jefferson allegedly drove at high speeds, purportedly reaching over 100 mph, to avoid being followed by the mother.
Jefferson was finally apprehended with the child in Pittsburgh and transported back to Erie early Tuesday morning, where he was awaiting arraignment. Erie police Deputy Chief Rick Lorah relayed the events leading up to Jefferson's arrest, stating that officers responded to a call on East 23rd Street, where the child's mother reported her unsuccessful attempts at retrieving her daughter. Jefferson was reportedly supposed to return the infant to her on Monday following the visit on Sunday.
