A 6-year-old was found safe and his father was arrested Tuesday at a Bay Area hotel, 24 hours after the boy was violently ripped from his mothers arms in Modesto, according to KTLA sister station KTXL in Sacramento.
Jayce Cosso was taken by his father, John Cosso from his home on Poinsettia Drive on Monday morning, investigators said. Cosso’s 17-year-old son, another man and three women were also involved.
On Tuesday, the boy and his father were found about an hour’s drive away from Modesto, at a La Quinta Inn in Dublin.
“We were able to determine that the dad, the 17-year-old and the 6-year-old were staying here at the La Quinta here in Dublin,” Modesto Police Sgt. Steve Hinkley said.
Another man staying at the hotel said he witnessed the father being taken into custody.
“The guy got tackled by some undercover cops and they put him in handcuffs, checked him and took him inside and they just disappeared,” Norvell Thomas said.
Thomas said he also heard Jayce crying over the ordeal. “Where’s my dad. I want my dad,” he recalled Jayce saying.
Kimberly Valente said it was only smiles, laughter and love as she embraced her son Jayce Cosso.
“Just feels like a nightmare and a dream all at once, and a movie and unreal,” she told KTXL. “I couldn’t wait to see him.”
Those arrested are facing four felonies, including kidnapping, burglary and cruelty to a child, authorities said. Officers are still trying to find the rest of the suspects involved.
Monday’s Amber Alert asked the community to keep an eye out for a 2012 black Ford Fusion, but officials said that car was not found.
Investigators did check out a Hyundai Sonata and also removed two bags from the Cosso’s hotel room. They would only say a Crime Stoppers tip cracked the case.
Valente said she’s grateful to the community and relieved John Cosso and his teen son are in custody.
“They made choices from the minute they had him in his arms,” Valente said. “They made choices and at any moment, at any moment, any one of them could have made a better choice.”
As for Jayce, he was very happy to be home and gushed about his breakfast with his new police friends: “Pancakes and with a lot of syrup.”