CLEVELAND — A 5-year-old child, who was missing from Virginia for nearly three months has been found safe in Cleveland.
According to the U.S. Marshals, the child was recovered Tuesday in Northeast Ohio after being taken by a non-custodial parent on May 1. The child was reported missing from Newport News, Virginia and had last been seen in Yorktown, Virginia.
After learning information about the child and non-custodial parent being in Cleveland, authorities located the child and arrested 31-year-old Ashlee Benneson of Newport News at a home in the 14400 block of Cedar Road.
Benneson, was charged by the Newport News Police Department with parental abduction.
Following her arrest, Benneson was taken to the Cuyahoga County Jail and the child was turned over to the Department of Family Services until united with the custodial parent.
Newport News police tell 3News' sister station WVEC that Benneson is awaiting extradition back to Virginia.
"Cases such as these highlight the reach of our agency and team. The safety of children is a highest priority for us and we are happy to recover this child and reunite them with their custodial parent," said U.S. Marshal Pete Elliott.
