Colorado family relieved after 7-year-old found safe, suspect caught in Amber Alert incident
It was a joyous feeling for Stephanie Vaughn-Green and the rest of her family when they learned Colorado State Patrol found 7-year-old Uriah Saye Jr. safe and unharmed, hours after an Amber Alert was issued for the missing boy.
"Praise the lord. Hallelujah, he is on his way back to his momma and we are just ecstatic," said Vaughn-Green, Uriah's grandmother. "It was just a sense of relief."
Aurielle Green could not contain her emotions when she learned her son was safe.
"I just want to hold him and never let him go," she said.
Aurielle, who shares custody of her son with the boy's father, tells CBS Colorado Uriah was with his father at his home off Kendall Street in Lakewood Monday morning when the father was shot.
Police believe 26-year-old Crystal Denmon took Uriah after shooting the father.
"All I know is that she's my child's father's ex-girlfriend. From what I knew, there was a restraining order in place, so she shouldn't have even been there," said Aurielle.
Denmon sent officers with Lakewood PD and other agencies, including CSP, on a pursuit across eastern and southeastern Colorado.
"Once we were believing that the suspect had fled the area in a vehicle, we started getting other agencies, such as Colorado State Patrol involved to be able to help us with trying to locate the vehicle," said Lindsey Witzel, who is a public information officer for Lakewood PD. "It's scary for investigators, I cannot imagine what the family is going through."
Just before 4 p.m., after Uriah was found, police caught Denmon.
"It's definitely over. Don't have to worry about her being harassed anymore or trying to take my child from me ever again," said Aurielle.
Despite the long day of panic, Uriah's family says the day also helped bring their family even closer together.
"Now we can celebrate Thanksgiving," said Robin Green, Uriah's step-grandmother.
The family was set to reunite with Uriah Monday evening. The father is still reportedly stable and recovering from his injuries at the hospital.
