A 4-year-old girl who was allegedly abducted by her estranged father in Gwinnett County was found safe and the suspect is in custody after an Amber Alert was activated Thursday afternoon, Snellville police said.
Valery Molina was taken by 23-year-old Alfred Molina in the 1800 block of Englewood Way, authorities said in a Levi’s Call, Georgia’s version of an Amber Alert, issued just after 4 p.m.
Minutes later, the Snellville Police Department posted on social media that Valery had been found safe and a suspect was in custody.
In a statement posted to social media just after 7:30 p.m., police detailed the incident that led to the Levi’s Call and a variety of charges against Alfred Molina.
According to police, Valery lives with her mother and her father does not have custodial rights. Officers were called to the mother’s home Thursday afternoon after Alfred forced his way into the house and abducted Valery, police said. At that point, police requested the Levi’s Call and began tracking Alfred’s cellphone.
Investigators were able to quickly track Alfred to an apartment complex off Club Drive in Lawrenceville, less than 15 miles from the home where Valery was abducted, police said. Detectives responded to the complex and requested support as they surveilled the area. When the detectives spotted Alfred and Valery, they were able to recover the child safely and take the man into custody with the help of supporting Gwinnett police officers, Snellville police said.
Because the incident and investigation unfolded quickly Thursday afternoon, Alfred had been taken into custody by the time the Levi’s Call was widely distributed.
According to police, Alfred resisted arrest and sustained a cut on his head in the process. He will also face additional charges related to his alleged struggle with officers, including one count of making terroristic threats. Police said he threatened to kill the officers who were arresting him.
Alfred’s other charges include kidnapping, burglary, interference with a 911 call and obstruction, police said. He was taken to the hospital for treatment of the cut on his head and will be booked into the Gwinnett County Jail once he is released from medical care, police said.
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