Kidnapped baby Halo Branton found and rushed to hospital after frantic search
A kidnapped baby has been found after being snatched in the night while wrapped in a Minnie Mouse blanket. She was rushed to hospital but sadly later it was announced she had passed away.
Halo R Branton, who is less than a year old, went missing from Schenectady in New York State, US, yesterday (March 9) evening. A massive search began with volunteers joining in before the happy news came through that she had been found near the GE Campus.
An abrupt update from the New York State police read: "Amber Alert Cancelled. Halo has been located. Thank you to everyone for your support."
US Watch, an organisation designed to help the public organise and look for missing children, also joined in the search.
Before going missing, Halo was seen on 12th Street at Campbell Ave. in Schenectady at around 9.15pm on Saturday, March 9, 2024. She was wearing white sweatpants with brown & tan flowers, a long-sleeve, light pink shirt with a butterfly design, and had a Minnie Mouse blanket.
Nicola Bulley's children 'cried their eyes out' after being told 'mummy's lost'Read more: Missing mum trapped in shipping container for days found after furious banging
A previous update from the police: "The Schenectady Police Department has activated the New York State AMBER Alert and is investigating a child abduction that occurred near Campbell Avenue and 12th Street, in Schenectady at about 9:15 PM on 3/9/2024."
Police have not yet revealed who may have kidnapped her or how the kidnapping was carried out. Authorities have not released any additional information.
No information has been released about any suspects.
In another happy ending to a missing persons case, a Florida mum was missing for days before she was found inside a shipping container after furiously banging on the door.
Marlene Lopez, 52, was last seen on Monday before she was eventually discovered on Thursday in the container on Coco Boulevard, owned by Tyler Sonnenberg who had locked the unit days earlier on Tuesday saying he heard no noise coming from inside.
Mr Sonnenberg told local station WKMG that he first saw Ms Lopez in the area on Monday, walking around. Saying he did not hear any noise on Wednesday Mr Sonnenberg said he thinks the mother walked into the container and passed out.
Police said Ms Lopez was ''not injured, but was taken to the hospital for evaluation and possible dehydration.'' On Thursday Cocoa Police Department said in a Facebook statement that Ms Lopez was found inside the locked unit used to store lawnmowers. “During the course of the investigation, detectives were notified that the woman had been found. She had been banging on the door of the shipping container when someone heard her and unlocked the door,”
Ms Lopez was reported as missing two days after she failed to turn up to pick up her son from school. Police said they are still investigating how Ms Lopez ended up inside the locked unit after searching for the woman for three days. Ms Lopez was last seen before she went missing at her home on Lucerne Drive.