CHESHIRE, MASS. (WHDH) - Massachusetts State Police said a 4-year-old girl who was allegedly kidnapped by her non-custodial, biological mother in Springfield on Thursday has been found safe in Berkshire County.
An AMBER Alert was activated at 11:30 a.m. after MSP officials said Cortana Goncalves’ biological mother, Brandee Arnold, 32, kidnapped Goncalves in Springfield.
In an update just before noon, state police said Goncalves was found unharmed in Cheshire, Mass.
In another update, state police spokesperson Dave Procopio said Goncalves was found with her mother at a trailer park on Fifth Avenue in Cheshire.
Procopio said Arnold was taken into custody, adding that she “will be transported to Springfield Police, who have jurisdiction over the kidnapping incident.”
7NEWS later spoke with Goncalves’ grandmother who said she was breathing a sigh of relief after authorities found Goncalves.
“I’m just thankful everything worked out,” said Donna Goncalves.
Donna said Thursday was Cortana Goncalves’ fourth birthday. Donna said Arnold stopped by to see Cortana before soon grabbing the girl and speeding away.
“It was relief because we’ve gone through a lot with her mother threatening to hurt her and threatening herself,” Donna said of her reaction to the call telling her Cortana was safe. “We didn’t know what was going to happen to her.”
Police said pictures captured by cameras on the Mass Pike in Blandford eventually helped lead investigators to Arnold and Cortana, who they found in a relative’s trailer in the Cheshire trailer park.
“There was a call that came in shortly after the AMBER alert went out and state police were able to locate her fairly quickly,” Ryan Walsh of the Springfield Police Department also said.
Asked if somebody helped, Walsh replied “Someone definitely helped.”
“I’m just thankful the police did their job and DCF did their job and now, hopefully the courts do their job,” Donna Goncalves said.
Arnold is expected to remain behind bars before facing a judge on Friday on kidnapping and child endangerment charges.
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