PLEASE NOTE: the name and image of the child victim in this incident must be removed from all existing/future broadcasts/coverage.
A man is due to appear in court today charged over the alleged abduction of a child from the Far North Coast.
A state-wide Amber Alert was initiated late yesterday after a woman was allegedly assaulted and a two-year-old boy abducted outside an office at Coffs Harbour about 2pm (Friday 8 December 2023).
Triple Zero (000) received multiple calls from members of the public who witnessed the incident and attempted to intervene.
Officers attached to Coffs / Clarence Police District commenced inquiries and launched a state-wide Amber Alert appeal to locate the child.
Following on-going appeals for assistance, the boy was found about 11.30pm, almost 300km away in Tenterfield.
A 37-year-old man was arrested and taken to Tenterfield Police Station where he has now been charged with take/detain child with intent to remove from parental control (DV), and reckless grievous bodily harm. He has also been charged with breach of bail.
The man, from Tenterfield, been refused bail to appear in Tamworth Local Court today (Saturday 9 December 2023).
A 61-year-old woman has been treated for a broken arm, allegedly suffered in the assault.
