The phones of Bay Area residents buzzed in unison Thursday morning, as an Amber Alert was issued for San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Alameda, Contra Costa and Solano counties in the case of an abducted baby.
According to the California Highway Patrol, 11-month-old William Brown was abducted Wednesday night at around 8 p.m.. Though the circumstances of his abduction are still unclear, San Francisco District Attorney's Office spokesperson Maxwell Szabo says that the DA's office "is working actively with our law enforcement partners to ensure the safety of this young child. More information will be provided as it becomes available."
Police say that they believe he was taken by a woman named Phoebe Haynes, who is described as a 44-year-old black woman with brown hair and brown eyes, stands 5 feet tall, and weighs 180 pounds. She was last seen wearing a black jacket, skirt, and boots.
ABC 7 reports that Police say Haynes is the boy's grandmother, and that Brown was allegedly "abducted by Haynes after his mother went into a store."
According to Szabo, "SFDA and its law enforcement partners are currently requesting the assistance of the public in identifying the following vehicle in connection with this Amber Alert: A 2003 Acura TL (4 Door) California license plate #: 7HPY348"
Brown, who is black, with brown hair and brown eyes, was last seen wearing a gray sweatshirt and pajamas with images of sharks.
Anyone who sees the Brown or Haynes is asked to call 911 immediately.
Update: As of 2:30 p.m., the SFPD sent out a notice announcing that the infant had been found, and is safe and healthy. According to District Attorney's Office spokesperson Maxwell Szabo, "An individual who had seen the Amber Alert called 911 to report having seen the child and the suspect at a liquor store in San Mateo. The Redwood City Police Department detained the grandmother, Phoebe Haynes, at Big Lots on Broadway Street in Redwood City." The SFPD responded to the scene, and the suspect Phoebe Haynes, who is apparently the child's grandmother, is in police custody.