Police in Arkansas have rescued a 5-year-old boy who was allegedly kidnapped by his father in Michigan.
Daniel Onoh, 40, of Houston, Texas, was arrested after the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office alerted Arkansas State
Police on February 3 that they were tracking a stolen 2018 Buick Encore.
Police found the vehicle on northbound Interstate 530 near Sweet Home, Arkansas. Authorities stopped the vehicle
on westbound I-30, west of Geyer Springs Road, and arrested him on suspicion of felony theft by receiving. Felony
kidnapping charges are also pending.
Police say Onoh also has a misdemeanor warrant in Texas.
According to the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office, Onoh and the child’s mother had an altercation in their automobile
on February 2 in Pontiac. The mother went inside her home, and Onoh drove the vehicle with the youngster inside.
According to the sheriff’s office, the mother has legal custody of the child, and the father has not been involved in his
son’s life for several months.
After being arrested, the child was released to the Arkansas Department of Human Services until the mother arrived
in Little Rock. They’ve subsequently returned to Michigan.
“There is nothing more important to us than keeping children safe,” Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard
stated in writing. “I couldn’t be happier about the teamwork between us and Arkansas State Police that led to a safe
rescue of this child.”
An investigation is ongoing. The sheriff’s office stated that it is seeking to have Onoh extradited back to Oakland
County.
