Vancouver police have located missing nine-year-old Emerson Cusworth safe near Phoenix, Arizona.
His mother, Shawana Puja Chaudhary, 34, has been arrested and is expected to be extradited back to Canada to face charges.
Emerson was reported missing by his father on March 9. Chaudhary shares custody of the boy with his father and they have a court-ordered parenting schedule. Emerson’s father went to pick him up after school that day, as per the schedule, but he wasn’t there.
Police were called and detectives from the department’s special investigation’s section took over. Detectives were able to track Chaudhary, Emerson and his younger sister to the Phoenix area and with assistance from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security were located safe on Tuesday.
Vancouver police spokesperson Const. Jason Doucette said that, with help from the Ministry of Children and Family Development, steps are being taken to return Emerson and his sister to Canada.
Crown counsel has approved a charge against Chaudhary related to the alleged abduction and she will be arrested by Vancouver police when she is returned to Canada.
@JessicaEKerr
