Riverside police searched Saturday evening for a 25-year-old woman believed to have taken her 3-year-old son without consent.
Samantha Hernandez is believed to have taken Elias Cruz about 12:30 p.m., according to a Riverside Police Department release. They were last seen walking near Lake and Randolph streets.
The non-custodial mother may have taken her son to the Santa Ana River bottom, as she is believed to be homeless, police said.
Hernandez is described as 5 feet, 5 inches tall, 165 pounds, with red hair and green eyes, last seen wearing a gray jacket and blue jeans.
Cruz is described as Hispanic, 3 feet tall, 45 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes, last seen wearing an orange shirt, camouflage pants and a green beanie cap.
Anyone who knows the current whereabouts of the mother and son was asked to call the Public Safety Communications Center at 951-354-2007 and reference report number 230003408. If they are seen outside the city of Riverside call local law enforcement.