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Police: 2-year-old safe, was found with grandmother following abduction claim

After initially starting the process of activating an AMBER Alert - believing the child to be in grave danger - police later found the girl safe.
Credit: WFAA

IRVING, Texas — Editor's note: This story has been updated after a police press conference, announcing that the girl has been found safe. 

Irving police say a 2-year-old girl who was believed to have been taken during a car theft has been found safe and is back with family, and never appeared to have been in imminent danger.

In a press conference, officers were notified around 1:45 p.m. of a vehicle that was reportedly taken with a 2-year-old inside. 

Police said the mother and the toddler were in Dallas off Northwest Highway when they said she told police she saw a "friend" and stopped to give him a ride. They had been traveling west on SH 183 before coming to a stop at a light at the intersection of SH 183 and Story Road.

Police said when the car was stopped, the friend took off running and the mom got out of the car to start chasing after him.

Police said a witness in the car behind the mom's car saw the 2-year-old appearing to try to get out of the vehicle and walked up to it to make sure the 2-year-old stayed inside away from traffic. 

It was after this that police said the man ran back to the mom's car, jumped inside and started driving back toward Dallas.

Police said the mom called 911, telling them that she had only known the man for two weeks and didn't know his name. Shortly after, police started their investigation.

At this point, police said they began the process of activating an AMBER Alert because of the circumstances that had been described, believing the child to be in "grave danger." 

During the investigation, however, police said they found that the alleged suspect was actually the child's father. 

Police said the man told police he actually got out of the car because he believed the mother was driving too fast and was nervous that she was endangering the child.

Police said the man took the car and drove it to the child's grandmother, who then drove it back to Irving. They later determined that the child was safe, and the AMBER Alert was not ever activated.

Right now, police said investigators are still talking to the mom and working to get more information. 

Police said they do not anticipate charges for the man at this point.

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