Abducted Baby Is Recovered

A 2-week-old baby was back in his mother’s arms Wednesday, about 24 hours after police said a woman posing as a church worker drove off with the child.

Police Chief Gerry Whitman said a suspect was in custody, but he wouldn’t say who it was or whether police think more people were involved.

Mauro Ramirez-Soria, described as healthy and happy by doctors, was cradled in his mother’s arms during a news conference called by police.

The infant’s mother, Maria Soria-Hernandez, told police that the woman who took Mauro befriended her recently and told her she was a church worker.

Soria-Hernandez said that when she went into a store Tuesday, the woman drove off in a minivan with the infant.

Authorities received about 500 tips involving three states after sending an Amber alert on the missing child to the media. One tip led officers to the baby early Wednesday afternoon, but police did not immediately release details.

“Before anything else, I want to give thanks to God that we have our baby back,” the boy’s father, Jaime Ramirez-Duran, said through an interpreter. He and the infant’s mother speak only Spanish.

Dr. John Ogle, director of pediatrics at Denver Health Medical Center, said the baby was calm, clean and appeared to have been well cared for.