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Amber Alert: Missing Ark City toddler found

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July 01, 2012|By Eyewitness News

(WICHITA, Kan) — A missing Ark City toddler has been found.  Investigators say he was abducted by his own father.

Three-year-old Anthony Hernandez was found around 5:00 this evening at the Cowley County State Fishing Lake just east of Ark City.  He is doing fine tonight.

Police say the boy was abducted by his father, Francisco Lopez-Campos, during a supervised visit.

The Amber Alert was issued late last night after police say Lopez got into a fight with his son's mother, even using a weapon, before taking off with the boy.

The hunt for Lopez and his son concentrated around that lake for most of the day and involved officers from nearly a dozen different law enforcement agencies.

Officers first found the weapon they believe Lopez used, then his car, both around that state fishing lake.

Police say it was a combination of modern technology and good old-fashioned police work that eventually tracked down the missing boy.

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“Well when people use cell phones they leave a signal,” said Arkansas City Police Chief Sean Wallace.  “That's one of the ways, and good old fashioned walking through the weeds, and with our k-9 units was real helpful as well.”

An EMS crew was on hand to check the boy out after he was found.  They gave him a clean bill of health and he was taken to be reunited with his mother.

His father, meanwhile, is in an Arkansas City jail waiting to see what charges he'll face.

Officers said special training they underwent just a couple years ago really helped with today's search.

“A drill is one thing, but the real thing's another. And thankfully we did go through that drill,” said Wallace. “More than that, just the experience and training, overall experience and training, of everybody and willingness to serve, that's what brought this to a good conclusion.”

Police were obviously relieved, even excited, as they made the announcement shortly after 5:00 this evening.


Reporter VideoAmber alert: missing child found safe
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