Missing 4-month-old girl found in Pittsburgh; father charged
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — A father is facing charges after a 4-month-old girl reported missing out of Erie was found in Pittsburgh, police said.
Court paperwork shows Justin Jefferson was charged with endangering the welfare of children, recklessly endangering another person and terroristic threats.
According to a criminal complaint filed by Erie police, the infant's mom told officers that on Monday afternoon, Jefferson had refused to give her daughter back. Police said Jefferson kept the baby on his lap as he tried to drive away. The mom told police she stood in front of the car, and Jefferson told her that he would crash, killing himself and the child if she didn't move.
Police said Jefferson then drove off, reaching speeds of over 100 mph as he tried to get away from the baby's mom.
On Monday evening, police put out a missing endangered person advisory for the baby girl, saying they believed she was with Jefferson, who was possibly heading to the Pittsburgh area. There were also signs up along western Pennsylvania highways, asking people to look for Jefferson's blue Buick Envision.
ERIE COUNTY: Missing Endangered Person Advisory. Erie City PD is searching for Promise Lavidein. Call 911 if seen. pic.twitter.com/t1P9sbyP6o
— PA State Police (@PAStatePolice) July 29, 2024
On Tuesday, Pittsburgh police said Jefferson called them to report that he had his daughter after he heard that her mom had reported her kidnapped. It turned out Jefferson had an active warrant for his arrest, so he was taken to the Allegheny County Jail, police said.
Pittsburgh police cared for the girl until her mother arrived to pick her up.