Associated Press
DENVER -- Police credit the Amber alert warning system for the safe return Sunday of a 14-month-old boy taken from his mother Saturday, and driven 700 miles to Iowa.
"We know for a fact that the boy's father heard the Amber alert and that caused him to drop off the boy at his uncle's home," Lafayette Police Commander Rick Bashor said Sunday. "He knew there was a nationwide search."
The child's mother, Vaness Martinez, got the call early Sunday that her son, Jayton Dentler, was safe in Des Moines, Iowa, Bashor said. The father, Jacub Dentler, dropped off the boy at his uncle's home, Bashor said. The uncle immediately called Martinez.
The father was still at-large Sunday afternoon but promised to turn himself into police, Bashor said.
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He is wanted for kidnapping of a minor, aggravated assault and obstruction of justice. The baby was not harmed and was in the custody of social services authorities, Bashor said.
"The mother was very happy that her child is safe," he said. "She's thankful for the Amber alert and how it helped."
Martinez planned to reunited with the child as soon as possible in the Denver suburb, he said. Martinez told police she feared for her life Saturday when Bentler, a former boyfriend severely beat her at her Lafayette home. Martinez escaped by backing her vehicle through a closed garage door and going for help.
"She was scared enough to drive right through the door," Bashor said.
The mother was treated for a concussion and complained of soreness and stiffness, Bashor said.
Dentler apparently drove all night to get to his uncle's home. He told his uncle he was going to visit friends before turning himself into authorities, Bashor said.
Dentler might still be traveling in a green 2000 Ford F-150 extended cab pickup.
