Kidnapped 5-Year-Old Girl Found In LA County, Police Say

ANTELOPE VALLEY, CA — A 5-year-old girl allegedly snatched by her father in Carson City, Nevada has been safely recovered in the Antelope Valley area and her father was arrested a short time later, authorities said Tuesday.

According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Amaya Meithof was taken Sunday morning by 41-year-old Christopher Meithof, who was believed to be driving a 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee.

An Amber Alert was issued for Amaya, and authorities said their last known direction of travel and possible destination was "southbound Quartz Hill, California," near Lancaster.

The Carson City Sheriff's Office said the girl was found safe on Monday.

"At approximately 2:15 p.m., June 1, using information gained through the multi-jurisdictional investigation, the U.S. Marshal's Pacific Southwest Fugitive Task Force, the Homeland Security Investigations Los Angeles Division and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office Major Crimes Bureau conducted a traffic stop in Palmdale, California, on a vehicle and recovered the missing Carson City child. The child is safe and unharmed," sheriff's officials said.

Christopher Meithof was not with the child at the time of the recovery but was located and arrested at a residence near the traffic stop, they added. Meithof was arrested without incident and was in custody at the LASD's Palmdale station, pending extradition to Nevada.