UPDATE: 6-Month-Old Indiana Girl Found Safe After Statewide Amber Alert; Police Arrest Father

PHOENIX – Police are still piecing together why a pair of new parents fled a Phoenix medical clinic with their 5-day-old son, triggering a valley-wide Amber Alert that gripped Arizona for several tense hours over the weekend. Investigators confirm both mother and father have now been released from custody while detectives and child-welfare officials sort through possible charges. According to Phoenix police, clinic staff near 30th Street and McDowell Road asked the couple to wait for doctors to clear the infant because he was in critical care. Instead, they placed the newborn in a dark-colored Jeep and drove off around midday Saturday. The Department of Public Safety issued an Amber Alert at 6:30 p.m., instantly pushing emergency bulletins to mobile phones, freeway signs and broadcast outlets statewide. Roughly an hour later, Mohave County deputies staking out two Kingman addresses linked to the family spotted the Jeep. The baby was rushed to a hospital for evaluation and is now in the custody of the Arizona Department of Child Safety, while his parents were questioned and subsequently released pending further investigation. No formal criminal counts had been filed as of Tuesday afternoon, but authorities say neglect or custodial-interference charges remain on the table. Why the couple removed the infant before doctors signed off is still unclear. Detectives are reviewing medical records, interviewing relatives and awaiting hospital test results to determine whether the child suffered complications during the unauthorized trip. How Amber Alerts work Under federal guidelines adopted by every U.S. state, an alert can be activated only when a victim is 17 or younger, law enforcement believes the child was abducted, and there is enough descriptive information—such as a vehicle make or license plate—to broadcast to the public. Saturday’s bulletin met each criterion: a specific Jeep description, immediate danger to the newborn’s health and a verifiable suspect vehicle. Quick community response is critical. National Center for Missing & Exploited Children data show 94 percent of children are recovered safely within the first few hours when an Amber Alert is issued. Phoenix police credit the rapid tip-sharing network between agencies and vigilant residents in Kingman for the fast recovery of the boy. What happens next Detectives will forward their findings to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office once medical reports and witness statements are complete. In the meantime, child-welfare caseworkers will decide whether the parents regain custody or if longer-term placement is necessary. Anyone with additional information about the incident is urged to call the Phoenix Police Department’s Missing Persons Unit at 602-534-2121.