Columbia Police are seeking kidnapping and other charges against a local woman who allegedly abducted two children on Thursday, prompting a statewide Amber Alert.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol canceled the alert after the two children, ages one and three, were located safe in Lafayette County and suspect Joy Smith was captured. CPD says they responded to a call about the two children being kidnapped at about 3:45 Thursday afternoon in the 1600 block of North Providence, and the Amber Alert was immediately issued. CPD says Missouri state troopers located the vehicle near I-70’s Higginsville exit about 45 minutes later and recovered the unharmed children. The 24-year-old Smith was arrested at the scene. The I-70 Higginsville exit is about 80 miles west of Columbia.
CPD describes its investigation as ongoing, and they thank the Missouri State Highway Patrol and Boone County Sheriff’s deputies for their assistance in searching for the children.