Abducted 4-Year-Old In Stolen Minivan Found Safe: Police

Updated at 10:20 p.m.

BRIDGEVIEW, IL — The 4-year-old boy at the center of a Bridgeview Amber Alert has been found safe and was taken to a hospital on Chicago's North Side. The Amber Alert issued by Illinois State Police has been canceled.

Liam is OK, but was being checked out at Swedish Hospital as a precaution.

Around 5:30 p.m. Monday, Liam Barbarasa was asleep inside a running minivan in front of a combination 7-Eleven-gas station near 79th Street and Roberts Road when his dad ran inside the store for a few minutes, Bridgeview Police Cmdr. David Case said. While the father was inside the store, someone stole the vehicle with Liam in the back seat.

An Amber Alert went out for the boy. Case said the blue Oldsmobile minivan was spotted in Marquette Park on Chicago's South Side, but police were not sure if Liam was still inside it.

Monday night, Liam's mother Maria Barbarasa and aunt Estera Barbarasa spoke at a news conference, begging for the safe return of the little boy.

"Liam, I love you so much, you’re the strongest and bravest boy that I know," the mother said, speaking directly to her son before addressing the car thief, begging, "Please bring him home safely."

Maria Barbarasa said she had no ill will toward the person who stole the car with her son inside.

"I know you probably didn’t realize he was there," she said. "Please just leave him untouched."

Maria described Liam as a "sweet, sweet boy" who is shy and afraid of strangers.

"Liam loves cars, he loves trains, he’s got so much energy, he’s full of life, he loves to be outside," she said.

Aunt Estera Barbarasa said about an hour before the minivan was stolen, Liam was playing with a toboggan sled in the driveway of his home with his little sister.

"His 2-year-old sister is home waiting for him," she said, also begging the person who took the vehicle to return the little boy. "Please, it’s a 4-year-old boy who’s innocent. We will not charge you. We just want him home safely with us."

After an Everbridge alert was sent at 6:44 p.m. notifying residents of a possible kidnapping, the Oldsmobile was spotted in Chicago, Bridgeview police said.

Case said the Oldsmobile had been spotted around 7:05 p.m. in the Marquette Park area. Estera Barbarasa said the vehicle was spotted near 26th and Pulaski.