CLAY COUNTY, Fla. — An Amber Alert that was issued for a child who went missing in Clay County was canceled Thursday night after the child was found in Jacksonville.
UPDATED STORY: Two Jacksonville women involved in Amber Alert for missing 10-year-old arrested
It was a scary situation for everyone in a Clay County community after they heard about that child disappearing. Thankfully he was found safe, but the person who took him is now facing charges.
TRENDING:
On Thursday, deputies said 10-year-old Cedric Barnes was seen on surveillance video walking home from Argyle Elementary School with his friends, but he never made it home from school.
Deputies said he was approached by a car. Then the child and the car disappeared sending the community into a panic. That’s when parents like Michael Sereno jumped in to help.
“I could not handle it if it was my kid. It’s just the right thing to do, you know. I would hope that if my kid went missing that someone would come out and look for them as well,” Sereno said.
For several hours deputies investigated. FDLE issued an amber alert, and a red alert was issued to notify everyone of Cedric’s disappearance.
Almost 7 hours later, they found out the child was taken to Jacksonville by someone close to the family.
Deputies say Ondreja Ciprian, 23, and Vachastity Christian, 25, both of Jackonville, were arrested and face charges for interfering with the custody of a child and providing false information to law enforcement.
People in that community were just glad to know Cedric was safe.
“We have three kids of our own, so it just broke my heart,” Sereno said.
Deputies said the person who took Cedric could face child abduction charges.
UPDATE 9:10 P.M: Missing child found safe.
The Clay County Sheriff's Office said the missing 10-year-old was found safe in Jacksonville.
ORIGINAL STORY:
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement has issued an Amber Alert for a missing 10-year-old boy.
The Clay County Sheriff's Office said Cedric Barnes was walking home from school with some other kids around 2:30 p.m. Cedric lives less than a mile from the school.
The Sheriff's Office said school surveillance video shows the kids walking towards the back of the school and cross the crosswalk towards home before the kids get out of video range.
The video shows that Cedric was riding a scooter, according to the Sheriff's Office.
The children, who were walking with Cedric, told the police that Cedric began talking with someone in a silver or gray car. The children said that they all kept walking and when they turned back, both the car and Cedric were gone, according to the Sheriff's Office.
The Sheriff's Office is asking for any parents who have children in the area to talk to their children and ask if their children may have spoken with Cedric earlier in the day or if they know anything.
Cedric Barnes is missing from the Spencers Plantation area and was last seen walking home from Argyle Elementary School, the Clay County Sheriff's Office said.
Cedric was last seen wearing a blue striped polo shirt, jean shorts and a red backpack. Cedric has brown hair, brown eyes, is 4 feet tall and weighs 70 lbs.
Cedric was last seen getting into a silver sedan and he may have a red scooter with him.
The sedan was driven by an unknown black male with short dreadlocks, FDLE said.
If you see Cedric, please contact the CCSO Communications Section at (904) 264-6512 or by dialing/texting 911.
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