Man Kidnapped, Threatened To Harm 5-Year-Old Son: Plainfield PD

PLAINFIELD, IL — Plainfield Police said a man wanted in connection with the abduction of his own 5-year-old son was apprehended Monday afternoon after a witness spotted him and called 911. Police, who previously said the man was wanted in a "domestic incident," said they responded to a home in the 12900 block of Cypress Lane just before 9 a.m. after receiving an aggravated kidnapping report saying the boy had been kidnapped by his biological father.

Police said the man reportedly entered the home and took the boy without permission or legal authority, and told his ex-girlfriend he planned to harm both himself and the child. He left the home in a silver Saturn SUV.

A short time later, an officer spotted the SUV and initiated a traffic stop near Route 30 and Lily Cache Road. Police said the man got out of the vehicle and fled on foot, leaving his 5-year-old son, who was uninjured, in the SUV.

By early afternoon, police said had been searching for the man near the Ottawa Street Pool, but "after exhausting all search methods" including a state police drone, K-9s and even an Illinois State Police plane, he was not found. Meanwhile, the 5-year-old boy was safe, according to police.

Police shared a description of the man on Facebook and asked residents to "stay alert" and call 911 if they spotted him. Hours later, at 4:15 p.m., a witness called 911 to say he'd seen a man matching that description near Route 59 and Fort Beggs Drive.

Officers arrived and took the man into custody without incident. Police said he was taken to an area hospital for a medical evaluation.

Police have not released the man's name, saying his information is being withheld pending formal criminal charges by the Will County State's Attorney's Office.

"Special thanks to the community for their assistance in helping bring this volatile situation under control as soon as possible and as safe as possible," police said early Monday evening in a news release.

As of Tuesday morning, Cmdr. Anthony Novak said the man remained at a local hospital, where Plainfield officers were keeping watch.

Check back with Patch for updates on this developing story.