Amber Alert canceled after girl, 3, abducted in Maywood during supervised DCFS visit, police say

MAYWOOD, Ill. (WLS) -- An Amber Alert has been canceled after a 3-year-old girl who was abducted by her mother in west suburban Maywood was found safe.

The Amber Alert was issued at 12:45 p.m. by Maywood police, who said the girl had been abducted during a DCFS visit. The child is listed as a protected party from her mother in an active order of protection.

According to the alert, the child abduction happened outside an office building located at 1701 South 1st Avenue in Maywood. Workers there said that although the building is privately owned, DCFS rents office space there.

Police said the child was taken at 9:53 a.m. Tuesday from that location after a DCFS worker reported that the child was forced by the suspect into a vehicle driven by an unknown person, who may have been a rideshare driver.

"To the best of our knowledge, I guess the DCFS worker was having a conversation and she took the baby outside the view of the DCFS worker," Maywood Police Chief Elijah Willis said.

Authorities eventually located the vehicle and determined that it was not associated with the kidnapping. At that time, both the child and the suspect were still missing.

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Maywood police said their investigation revealed the woman was dropped off by an Uber in La Grange. Further investigation led them to a home in the western suburb, which police believed to be the mother's home.

With the help of La Grange officers, Maywood police breached the home and found the girl and her mother in a bedroom together.

The Amber Alert was canceled at 2:26 pm. after the toddler was found safe. She is being checked out at a local hospital as a precaution, police said.

Maywood police said the woman has been taken into custody and is being questioned.

In a statement, DCFS spokesperson Bill McCaffrey said: "The Department of Children and Family Services is extremely grateful for the efforts of law enforcement to quickly find the young girl. We will continue to offer our support and services to the youth and family. We are reviewing the incident to determine that all protocols were followed."

The incident happened the same day DCFS officials faced intense questioning from Springfield lawmakers about an auditor general's report that found widespread failures by the agency in tracking and safeguarding children.

Maywood police continue to investigate the incident. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Investigations division at 708-450-4471 or the Maywood Police Department Anonymous Tip Line at 708-450-1787.