MOULTRIE – A 2-year-old child was kidnapped Friday evening from a gas station on Highway 133 South and was missing for several hours before being located and secured by the Moultrie Police Department and Colquitt County Sheriff’s Office.

An Amber Alert was broadcast about 11 p.m. Friday, but the child has already been found by that time.

“The call was initially sent in at 7:48,” said MPD Investigator Jesus Valdez. “The father had gone into a gas station to purchase a few items, and had left his deaf girlfriend and daughter in the running car.”

While unattended, the girlfriend, age 22, took off with the vehicle and child.

“We are still investigating the nature of why she took the baby,” said Valdez. “But we are suspecting there might be a mental illness involved.”

Later that night, authorities were notified of the stolen vehicle running, sitting in the ER entrance of the hospital.

“She had abandoned the child in the vehicle,” said Valdez.

The child had been safely recovered by authorities and returned to her father after the Amber Alert had been requested, but before it was formally issued. “The female was later arrested after being located at another convenience store,” said Valdez. “It was 5:15 a.m. when she was arrested and transported to the county jail.”

The woman is being charged with kidnapping, and police said this is an ongoing investigation.