BEAVERTON Ore. (KPTV) – A 3-year-old Beaverton boy was found safe after an AMBER Alert was issued Wednesday, according to police.
The Beaverton Police Department said 3-year-old Joshua Ovalles’ mother, Mari Martinez, kidnapped the child Tuesday morning after a Washington County judge revoked her custody rights. Police say the judge believed Joshua was in danger while in Martinez’s custody.
“After the hearing was over, she immediately left, picked up Joshua, packed her things and left on foot with Joshua,” Beaverton police spokesman Matt Henderson said.
It was those images from Tuesday that sent detectives chasing the mother and son.
“The surveillance photos: hoodies are on, people are covered, Joshua is covered,” Henderson said.
The search resulted in an Amber Alert being issued Wednesday afternoon, which was canceled after detectives realized Martinez was not driving his SUV.
“When you see an Amber Alert, it’s very serious. We know a vehicle, we know a suspect and we know a child is in danger,” Henderson said.
On Thursday afternoon, Joshua was found unharmed in Lake Oswego.
“Mom dropped him off at someone she knows. And we located Joshua and he’s safe,” Henderson said.
Shortly after, police found Martinez in the area with the help of other law enforcement.
Beaverton police said this is not Martinez’s first run-in with the law.
“We have open investigations here at the Beaverton Police Department regarding his mother and related child abuse investigations,” Henderson said.
Court documents obtained by FOX 12 detail Child Protective Services’ concerns about Martinez being around her 3-year-old son, specifically citing mental injury, physical abuse and neglect on Martinez’s part.
CPS said Martinez’s two older children had been placed in the temporary custody of their father and were worried about Joshua.
Late last month, court documents revealed the 3-year-old drowned while in the care of his mother at a community spa. And it was this incident, along with other concerns, that prompted Joshua’s father to seek temporary custody of the 3-year-old.
Martinez now faces charges of custodial interference and kidnapping.
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