Infant in Willits carjacking found safe

A terrifying morning for the mother of an infant boy began Friday when a carjacker hopped into an idling SUV and sped away from a Willits business with the child strapped into a car seat.

It ended peacefully when the 3-month-old boy was recovered unharmed and his alleged abductor arrested an hour after the suspect fled, assisted by a quick Amber Alert that brought a tip on the vehicle's location to law enforcement officers.

"The Amber Alert system was very successful," said Willits Police Officer Mark McNelley.

The child was promptly returned to his parents, said McNelley, who declined to identify the mother who left her 2008 Ford Escape idling with the child in the car as she ran an errand.

James Norton, 28, of Willits was booked into the Mendocino County jail on suspicion of kidnapping, carjacking, auto theft, violation of probation and possession of drug paraphernalia, McNelley said.

Whether the suspect knew the child was in the vehicle remains under investigation, he said.

The gold SUV had been left running with the keys in the ignition while the infant's mother ran inside a business on the south end of Main Street, police said.

McNelley said it's not known whether the mother will be charged for leaving the keys in the ignition, which is illegal.

That determination would be made by the district attorney, he said.

The Amber Alert was issued immediately after the abduction.

A witness reported seeing the vehicle heading south on Highway 101, and officers from multiple agencies, assisted by a CHP helicopter, began their search.

Fire Prevention Specialist Larry Grafft located the vehicle and child at 12:20 p.m. on rural Ridgewood Road, south of Willits, police said. Norton, who was nearby, was taken into custody.

You can reach Staff Writer Glenda Anderson at 462-6473 or glenda.anderson@pressdemocrat.com.