Watch CBS News

Amber Alert Canceled, Suspect Behind Bars

EVANS, Colo. (CBS4) - A 9-month-old baby was found safe in Weld County after an Amber Alert went out when she was taken from her home in Sheridan.

Peter Madrid, 29, was arrested after being found in a car with the child and is being held on felony charges. Madrid is a cousin of Monique Gallegos, the baby's mother.

Police said Madrid was arrested after a traffic stop in Evans early Monday morning. That's about 60 miles away from the Denver suburb where she was taken at about 7:30 p.m. from Sunday.

"At about 4:30 a.m. a police officer from Evans was just doing his normal patrol duties and he noticed a vehicle matching the description from our Amber Alert," Sheridan police spokesman Sgt. Paul Wszolek said. "He did what he was supposed to do ... pulled the vehicle over and after everything was said and done Mr. Madrid was in custody."

The baby, Neveah Lopez, was checked out at the hospital and was apparently unharmed.

Child Found Map
(credit: CBS)

"It gets your blood pressure going," Officer William Haslett with Evans police said. "Every time (an Amber Alert) comes out, we make note and hope we have a part in reuniting a child because so often it doesn't turn out well, so it's good to have a happy ending."

Gallegos told CBS4 once she was reunited with her baby that she was exhausted over the ordeal, and very upset with Madrid.

"I felt like no matter how hard I tried and no matter how hard anybody tried ... it was like a sit and wait game (to try to find the baby). Nobody knew anything. I guess everybody felt helpless," she said.

Gallegos said Madrid has a criminal history but she said she had no reason to suspect he would take her baby.

She says she went into a relative's house in Sheridan on Sunday night and left Madrid alone in her car with the baby for only a few minutes. When she went back outside she said the car -- and her baby were gone.

"I'm never leaving my kids, not ever ... not even with family, relatives, nothing. They're always going to be with mom," Gallegos said.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.