Alexander City child reported missing safely located, suspects in custody
A child reported missing in Alexander City has been safely located.
Alexander City police say they received a report on Friday regarding a kidnapping that occurred the day before.
Officers were told that 42-year-old Sonya Watkins, of Federal Way, WA, and 44-year-old Jonathan Watkins, of Alexander City, went to a home on Thomas Road and reportedly lured the 7-year-old child into the vehicle and fled the area.
During the course of the investigation, it was discovered that the suspects took the child out of state and went as far north as Minnesota.
With the help of the U.S. Marshals Middle District of Alabama and the U.S. Marshals Gulf Coast Regional Task Force, Alexander City police were able to locate the child and the two suspects around 8:30 p.m. Sunday as they returned to a restaurant in Montgomery.
Officers immediately took both suspects into custody.
Investigators say the child was unharmed and returned home to his father.
Sonya Watkins and Jonathan Watkins are charged with 1st degree kidnapping and taken to the Tallapoosa County Jail.
DISCLAIMER: Since the Alexander City Police Department does not name the child, Action 8 News is no longer showing his photo or mentioning his name since he’s underage.
