Amber Alert canceled, 3-year-old Lakeville boy found safe

Authorities say “concern and miscommunication” over a child’s custody exchange led to an Amber Alert being issued Friday amid the search for the boy.

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension issued an Amber Alert for the 3-year-old Lakeville boy at 12:43 p.m., saying he was taken from his home at around 9:30 a.m., although it wasn’t immediately clear by whom.

Just before 3 p.m., the agency said the boy had been found and is safe.

Friday afternoon, Lakeville Police Chief Brad Paulson said it appears the whole situation stemmed from miscommunication overnight or early Friday morning.

Police say a family member took the boy, who was with his father, and the father called police because the exchange was unplanned and he was concerned about the child’s welfare.

That led to the Amber Alert and a frantic search for the child.

However, a couple of hours after the alert was issued, Paulson said the father found the boy in an apartment. Police believe the child was with his mother when he was found.

“There are some family dynamics we’re trying to sort through,” Paulson confirmed Friday afternoon.

The boy wasn’t found in Lakeville but was in the Twin Cities metro area, according to Paulson, who added that it’s still too early to determine if criminal charges may be necessary.

While Paulson said it’s unclear if any public tips helped lead to the child being found, he added that authorities would rather be safe than sorry.