ORLANDO, Fla. – A 2-year-old boy who was taken at gunpoint from his home by his biological mother, sparking a statewide Amber Alert, was found safe in DeLand on Wednesday afternoon, authorities said.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement issued an Amber Alert for Jenzell Cintron Perez just after 4:30 a.m. Wednesday.
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The toddler's family told News4Jax sister station WKMG in Orlando that his biological mother, Sugey Perez Diaz, 33, barged into the child's home, where he lives with his father and stepmother, and took the toddler at gunpoint while his father wasn't home.
The stepmother told WKMG that Diaz threatened to kill her before grabbing the child and driving off in a vehicle with a man.
Authorities issued an Amber Alert about five hours after the toddler was taken because police were following leads and didn't want to put the investigation in jeopardy.
Police said the boy was found safe in DeLand hours after the alert was issued, and his mother was taken into custody on a warrant for armed burglary and aggravated assault.