Amber Alert canceled; missing 2-year-old found, BCA says

The Pope County Sheriff's Office arrested a Big Lake man in connection to the case, and he has been booked on a kidnapping charge, according to a news release.

March 18, 2022 at 9:40PM

An Amber Alert was canceled early Friday, after a 2-year-old whom authorities believed was likely abducted was "located and is safe," and a suspect was in custody.

The Pope County Sheriff's Office arrested a Big Lake man in connection to the case, and he has been booked on a kidnapping charge, according to a news release. The man was arrested outside of his home early Friday morning after a brief struggle.

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension had issued an Amber Alert on Thursday afternoon for Robert Ramirez. The Pope County Sheriff's Office was told about the missing child early Thursday morning.

Investigators found the child after receiving a 911 call that he was in the garage of the caller's residence in Paynesville.

The child is with his mother. No charges against the man were filed as of Friday afternoon, according to the Pope County Attorney's Office. The Star Tribune does not typically name suspects before they are charged with a crime.

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