VA Amber Alert Canceled: Sex Offender Arrested, Baby Safe

DANVILLE, VA — An Amber Alert has been canceled for a North Carolina sex offender accused of kidnapping his infant daughter at knifepoint. Virginia State Police say Carl Ray Kennedy 51, abducted 7-month-old Emma Grace Kennedy from a Virginia gas station just before 8 p.m. Sunday.

The child has been found safe, and her father, Carl Ray Kennedy, has been arrested, according to Danville, Virginia, police. Danville Police, FBI, Randolph County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Secret Service arrested Carl Kennedy in Randleman, North Carolina. He is in custody in North Carolina.

Emma Grace Kennedy appears to be in good health and is being evaluated at a local hospital. The mother of the child has been notified, police said.

The Virginia State Police has officially cancelled the Amber Alert for the missing Danville infant.

Carl Kennedy may have been sighted Monday night in the area of Seven Spring, North Carolina, and may have been headed to Oak Island, on the North Carolina coast.

State police also released a new license plate number that they believe may be on the 2007 gold Subaru four-door Impreza Kennedy is suspected of driving. The new tag is North Carolina EKZ-5093.

The child is believed to be in extreme danger, state police say, and was last seen at the Kwik stop on Riverside Drive in Danville, Virginia. It's possible that Carl Kennedy is headed to North Carolina, police said.

Emma Grace Kennedy has blond hair, blue eyes, is 2 foot 2 inches tall, and weigh 18 pounds. She was last seen wearing a light blue onesie.

According to the alert, Carl Kennedy had a knife when he assaulted the girl’s mother at the convenience store and took the girl. He is currently out of jail on a $250,000 bond for drug distribution.

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Carl Ray Kennedy has gray hair, green eyes, 5 foot 8 inches, weighs 170 pounds, who was last seen wearing a brown short sleeve shirt with gray shorts and black and white Sketchers.

Authorities say Carol Kennedy has several tattoos: a skull on his left forearm; a skull with a bandanna over the mouth on his right forearm; an eye tattoo on the back of his right hand; on his upper right arm a pitbull with American Bulldog written under it; and a wizard on his left upper arm.

Photos of Carl Ray Kennedy and Emily Kennedy, courtesy of Virginia State Police