A woman accused of stealing a vehicle and kidnapping a 3-year-old child in Temecula remained behind bars Sunday in lieu of $100,000 bail.
The father of the child reported the toddler missing Thursday morning and also told authorities that his vehicle and keys were missing from his home, according to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.
A description of the child and vehicle was broadcasted to regional law enforcement agencies while deputies, assisted by a bloodhound, searched the surrounding area but came up empty.
At about 1:45 p.m. Thursday, a deputy located the missing vehicle driving on Sage Road in the unincorporated community of Aguanga. However, the driver did not stop when the deputy tried to pull the vehicle over, sheriff’s officials said.
Deputies followed the vehicle until it stopped in the 32100 block of Temecula Parkway in Temecula.
The driver, Jessica Emily Reichert, 52, was arrested and the missing child was recovered, authorities said.
She was booked into the Cois Byrd Detention Center on suspicion of kidnapping a child under 14 years of age, vehicle theft and other related crimes.
Authorities did not give a motive for the alleged kidnapping but said they did not believe that Reichert was related to the child.