Police: Baby returned to Summit County after mom tried to flee along with her joint-custody son to Mexico

Federal agents stopped a woman with ties to Summit County at the US–Mexico border after police say she attempted to flee to San Cristóbal de las Casas, according to a Summit County Sheriff’s Office press release issued Thursday.

The situation began Tuesday, Sept. 20, when deputies responded to a “parental kidnapping” in Breckenridge, according to the Sheriff’s Office. The father reportedly informed deputies that his ex-wife, who has joint custody of the child, had ran away with their 9-year-old son in violation of a parental custody agreement.

As events unfolded, a felony arrest warrant was issued for the woman for violating the custody order, and the son was entered into the national database of missing persons.

While fleeing, the mother “took several evasive measures to prevent herself and her child from being located by law enforcement,” the Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.

A day after fleeing, the spouse and son were stopped at the Santa Teresa Port of Entry in New Mexico without incident, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

“This critically time-sensitive investigation, multi-state search, and subsequent arrest and safe reunification of the child could not have been possible without the relationships and assistance of our local, state and federal partners,” said Sheriff Jaime FitzSimons.

Summit County 911 Center, 5th Judicial District Attorney’s Office, Colorado Bureau of Investigation, Colorado State Patrol, United Stated Marshals Service, Homeland Security Investigations and US Customs and Border Protection all assisted in the incident.

The Sheriff’s Office said no further details will be released at this time.