Age 6 Son Abducted by Father & 5 Others from Home, Mom Overcome with Emotion When He's Found
It’s a terrible thing when a child gets taken away from a loving parent or guardian. Sadly, Amber Alerts are all too common.
Six-year-old Jayce Cosso was abducted from his home in Modesto, California, on Sept. 24. According to The Modesto Bee, the boy’s father, 41-year-old John Cosso, is responsible for the kidnapping.
Cosso was reportedly accompanied by 5 others — two men and three women — who aided in the violent abduction. “All three of them were banging on the windows while Jayce and me were screaming and then they got the doors open,” Kimberly Valente, the boy’s mother, told The Modesto Bee.
The group forced their way into the house and Valente tried to escape with her son. She got in her car and tried to leave, but a different car was in the way. One of the men reportedly broke her car window and reached in to grab Jayce.
She says Jayce was ripped right out of her arms — a truly heartbreaking moment for any mother.
An Amber Alert was issued and friends and family aided in the search by spreading the word on social media.
“PLEASE PAY ATTENTION TODAY,” Valente wrote on Facebook. “PLEASE LOOK AT CARS AND FACES AND PAY ATTENTION TO ANYTHING THAT DOESNT SEEM RIGHT … PLEASE PRAY.”
It appears their dedicated search and prayers paid off. KTVU reported little Jayce was discovered safe at a La Quinta Inn and Suites in Dublin, California, on Sept. 25.
The father was reportedly arrested and Jayce appears to be doing well. He was welcomed by his family with open arms.
As his mother, Valente seems to be the most relieved of all, and rightfully so. When she received a text informing her that her son was found safe, she cried tears of joy.
“I’m grateful, I’m appreciative, I’m on my knees,” she told The Modesto Bee. “Thank you to every news station, every person … everybody that was involved.”
Her relief is a breath of fresh air. We’re so glad this boy wasn’t missing for long and pray he and his family recover from this frightening ordeal soon.
Sadly, there are still many missing children who haven’t made it safely home yet. This is why Amber Alerts are issued — because the community has the power to help.
According to The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, over 460,000 children were reported missing in 2017. The number is staggering.
But you can help. Stay alert. Take time to study the faces of missing persons posted at your local grocery store.
Help bring other children like Jayce home. If you have any information regarding a missing child, contact your local police or call the 24-hour hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST.
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