ADAMS COUNTY, Colo. A 4-year-old boy who was “forcibly” taken by a man with a violent history has been recovered safely after the man refused to exit a home he had allegedly broken into, according to the Commerce City Police Department.
The suspect, Jeremy Chavez, was taken into custody around midnight, police said. He could face charges including second-degree burglary, child abuse, reckless endangerment, second-degree kidnapping, vehicular eluding, second-degree motor vehicle theft and domestic violence, police said.
We have removed the boy’s name and photo from this story. While Chavez and the boy have the same last name, it is not yet clear if they are related.
This started with an AMBER Alert on Friday evening and ended with the suspect barricading in a home in Commerce City with the boy. Joanna Small, public information officer with the Commerce City Police Department, said police believe they are a biological father and son, but that has not been confirmed as of publishing time.
According to the AMBER Alert, which was issued around 6:30 p.m., the 4-year-old was “forcibly removed from his residence” by 45-year-old Chavez. The boy has “medical impairments,” the alert reads, and requires medication that he does not have with him. Chavez is “known to be violent” and it is “unknown if he is armed,” CBI said.
Hours later, the Commerce City Police Department told Denver7 they believed Chavez had forced his way into a home near 109th and Jasper, creating a barricade situation. The homeowners or renters, who were inside, fled out of the house and were safe.
Denver7’s Claire Lavezzorio was at that scene late Friday night.
“Jeremy, come out of the house with your hands up. You are under arrest by Commerce City police,” Lavezzorio heard police say over the loudspeaker at the scene.
In a brief press conference Friday night, Small explained that authorities were able to locate the stolen pickup truck and use stop sticks to bring it to a halt, but “no individuals were inside the vehicle when we recovered it. She confirmed the truck was recovered near the home around 109th and Jasper, which is why they suspected it was Chavez who was inside the home.
Denver7’s Claire Lavezzorio asked if police would change their approach if they learned the boy was inside the home.
One hundred percent,” Small answered. “If its a hostage situation, its going to be very different than if its just an individual in the house by himself. Without us having that information, we have to work the situation very carefully.
As of 11:45 p.m. Friday, they had not yet been able to confirm that.
Small said around midnight, Chavez, who was indeed in the home, was taken into custody. No other details about that are available.
The boy, who was also in the house, is safe.
Commerce City
