10-Year-Old Boy Found Safe After Amber Alert, 2 Taken Into Custody
WESTMINTER, Colo. (CBS4) - An Amber Alert has been canceled for a 10-year-old boy police say was "taken with force from a vehicle" in Westminster after he was found safe and two people were taken into custody.
According to police, Austin Rasnic was found safe in Wheat Ridge after they received a tip following the Amber Alert.
"We would like to thank the public and the media for their help in this investigation. Austin Ransic was located safe and unharmed with the help from a tip we received after the Amber Alert was issued," Westminster Police spokeswoman Kate Kazell said in a statement. "He was found around 9:30 p.m. ... at a residence in Wheat Ridge. He is being reunited with his family."
According to Westminster Police, Austin was picked up from school by a relative Monday afternoon. While at a red light at 80th and Lowell, police said a man in the vehicle behind them approached Austin's relative and flashed a badge or ID of some kind telling the woman to give up Austin or she'd be arrested. That's when the boy's mother, Tiffany Rasnic, allegedly forcibly took the boy out of the car.
Kazell said Tiffany was not supposed to have any contact with her son due to a protection order. The circumstances of the protection order were not released, but Kazell said Tiffany has a criminal history so there was concern Austin was in danger.
"The biggest reason we are concerned about his safety is because of the forcible way he was kidnapped and the protection order in place," Kazell said before the boy was found. "We just want to find him as soon as possible. His dad is pretty worried about him."
The names of the people taken into custody haven't been officially released.
"Charges are still being determined at this time," Kazell
Kelly Werthmann joined the CBS4 team in 2012 as the morning reporter, covering national stories like the Aurora Theater Shooting and devastating Colorado wildfires. She now reports for CBS4 News at 10 and is always open to story ideas. Connect with her on Facebook or Twitter @KellyCBS4.
