Girl back home after police say mother grabbed her from nanny

NORCROSS, Ga. — A Norcross girl is back home and safe after police say she was kidnapped by her mother Tuesday morning.

Police say a tip led to her biological mother, who investigators stole her daughter from her nanny.

Channel 2’s Carl Willis said Gladis Lemus, 30, was silent as police walked her inside the Norcross police station Tuesday night for questioning, and she wept as she was brought back out and taken away to jail.

Investigators said Lemus went to her estranged husband's house and abducted 4-year-old Mireida Espinoza-Lemus.

Police said the child was at her father's house on Hammond Drive Tuesday morning when her mother, 30 snatched the girl away from her babysitter, leading to a nationwide Amber Alert.

Enrique Espinoza, Miereida’s father, said Lemus tried this once before.

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“She tried doing this once before but that was when we in a bitter custody battle over our daughter," Espinoza told Willis in Spanish.

He now has full custody of his daughter, police said.

The mother left the house in a vehicle with an unknown man behind the wheel. But officers were able to locate the car at an apartment complex off Peachtree Industrial Boulevard Tuesday evening

"We went inside and made contact with the mother and the daughter in a back bedroom,” said Sgt. Eric Butynski, with the Norcross Police Department. "At first the mom didn't want to open the bedroom door. She finally did."

Investigators said they found Mireida is shaken up, but was not hurt.

"I'm a father and I have a little girl so it's a great relief to find this little girl OK and unharmed, and she's going to be reunited with her father tonight and that's the important thing," Butynski said.

"I am so happy with the outcome. The police did a great job in finding my little girl,” Espinoza told Willis

Police said there was a man present when they located the mother and child. They're questioning him to find out if he's the same man who drove the getaway car.

Lemus is facing charges of kidnapping and cruelty to a child.

Cox Media Group