TAVARES, Fla. – An Amber Alert has been canceled for a missing 5-year-old Tavares boy after he was found safe and his grandmother was arrested on a kidnapping and other charges, police said Monday.
Kelly Dasilva was arrested on charges of kidnapping and interfering with child custody after an Amber Alert was issued on Sunday for her grandson, Jace Saunders.
Tavares police at a news conference late Monday morning said the family has had a history of domestic-related calls.
“I can’t go into detail about any DCF call history. Our agency is known to the family. We have an extensive history with them,” Tavares police Det. Courtney Sullivan said.
Police said that Saunders — who has autism and is described as being semi-verbal —was last seen in the south side of the city in the area of Summerall Park around 1:19 p.m. Sunday. According to a news release, police responded to a home to take custody of Saunders, but he was with a family friend on a golf cart.
Instead of bringing the boy back, police said the friend went to a park and gave the boy to Dasilva, who was in a black Honda Accord or passenger car.
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The friend was arrested for interference of child custody. Police also said late Sunday evening that the boy’s parents, Taylor Judy and Brandon Saunders, were arrested for interference of child custody due to their lack of cooperation with law enforcement in the attempts to locate their son.
Saunders — who police said is in good health — was turned over to the Department of Children and Families.
Dasilva is expected to face a Lake County judge on Tuesday.
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