NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — Lashawnna Hill and her family say their prayers have been answered. Hill's 3-month-old grandson, Jiraiya Cherry, was found safe hours after being reported missing Thursday morning.
"They found him! They found him!" shouted one relative, moments after learning the child was located. "Thank you, Jesus!"
According to Newport News Police, Jiraiya was reportedly abducted by an unknown babysitter around 10 a.m. from an apartment complex in the 13300 block of Preakness Drive.
Authorities said the child was safely located in Chesterfield, Virginia, about an hour from Newport News. One person is in custody, but police have released no additional information about the suspect.
Hill said the family prayed and remained hopeful the child would return.
"It's been really stressful," said Hill. "A lot of tears have been shed. It's something you never want to hear that your grandson has been taken."
The child's disappearance prompted an Amber Alert around 5 p.m. At the time, authorities described the suspect as a woman in her 20s with locked hair down to the middle of her back, and she may have been driving a 4-door silver sedan with Virginia license plates.
"Don't give up on prayer," said Hill.
Hill says her son and Jiraiya's mother connected with the babysitter online and recently met in-person to check her out.
Hill claims the woman started the job on Thursday. Hill said her other son remained in the apartment to make sure things went smoothly, but he went to another room to check on Jiraiya's older sister. That's when the babysitter took the boy and left the apartment, according to his grandmother.
Newport News Police have not released any details about the circumstances surrounding the baby's disappearance nor information about the person in custody.