Missing Westfield baby found safe in Virginia

Posted: 10/31/12 at 10:50 am EDT      Last Updated: 10/31/12 at 10:52 pm EDT

WESTFIELD, Mass. (WHDH) -- Massachusetts State Police say a 3-month-old Westfield girl who was the focus of an Amber Alert has been found safe in Virginia with her mother.

“The child is safe. The child is currently in the hands of the Department of Social Services for Children in Virginia. We are currently making arrangements to pick up the child as well as the mother,” said Capt. Paul Nunez of the Westfield Police Department.

State police in Virginia arrested 28-year-old Cheryl Kozaczek just before 3 p.m. on Interstate 95 Southbound in Waverly, Va. She was driving her mother’s 2004 Toyota Tacoma pickup truck.

Investigators contacted Kozaczek’s cell phone carrier and followed pings from her phone.

“We had been tracking the truck on the southbound route through much of the morning. We initially determined they had been in Maryland and then entered into Virginia,” said David Procopio, Mass. State Police spokesperson.

Kozaczek is 3-month-old Gaebria Kozaczek’s biological mother, but she doesn’t have legal custody. Gaebria’s grandfather told 7News off camera that his daughter suffers from untreated mental health issues.

“She’s got some emotional issues to deal with which she is supposed to be in treatment for, but she hasn’t. She has been refusing that,” said Gaebria’s grandfather, Michael.

Kozaczek had been upset by a court hearing on custody scheduled for Wednesday. It went on and a judge transferred custody of Gaebria from her grandmother to the state.

“We are very pleased that this has been resolved in a manner in which the child was unharmed. We’re happy to report that it’s got a peaceful ending,” said Procopio.

Kozaczek is facing charges including kidnapping and stealing her mother’s car.

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