A terrifying few hours for a Colorado Springs family ended in relief on Tuesday, when a 2-year-old boy who police said was taken along with a stolen car was found safe later the same day.
According to the Colorado Springs Police Department, the child was in the back seat of a vehicle that was stolen just before 3 p.m. from the King Street Apartments in the 2700 block of King Street.
Police identified the boy as Giovani Salazar‑President and said the missing vehicle was a 2021 black Kia Seltos with Colorado license plate DLH‑W03, as reported by KOAA. The department released photos and, according to the outlet, urged anyone with information to call 911.
AMBER Alert and quick recovery
State officials issued an AMBER Alert at about 4:50 p.m., and the boy was located minutes later and listed as safe, according to The Denver Post. Authorities confirmed the child was unharmed and the alert was canceled, the paper reported.
Police response and public appeal
The Colorado Springs Gazette published the department's photo of Giovani and shared the request for public tips, noting the case began at the King Street Apartments. Police did not immediately release a suspect description, the Gazette reported.
How AMBER Alerts work
According to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, AMBER Alerts in Colorado are activated when a child is 17 or younger, believed to be in immediate danger, and there is enough descriptive information to help in the recovery. The CBI coordinates with local law enforcement and uses the Wireless Emergency Alert system and media partners to push details out to the public, the agency says.
Local station KKTV reported that police also asked anyone with video or additional tips to contact authorities, and investigators said follow-up work in the neighborhood was ongoing. Officials did not immediately disclose whether any arrests had been made.
