NEWCASTLE, Okla. (KFOR) – Authorities say two people have been arrested following an Amber Alert Wednesday morning.
Officials say it all started when a woman went to Newcastle Casino around 4 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 22.
Investigators say the mother left her Lincoln MKX running with the keys in the ignition, and her 10-year-old son in the car.
“Obviously there are some questions if the child was in a car at 4 o’ clock in the morning while mother is at a casino,” said Maj. Adam Flowers with the Canadian County Sheriff’s Office.
A short time later, authorities say a man got into the car, with the child inside, and took off.
“One of the things that the child did mention to one of our deputies is that the suspect claimed that he had a firearm under the seat … at this time no firearm has been recovered it could’ve been a threat,” said Maj. Flowers.
After the Amber Alert was issued, a bystander spotted the stolen vehicle at a store near S.W. 15th and Czech Hall Road, at the Sahi Plaza.
Within four minutes of that 911 call, the store was swarmed by police from various departments.
Investigators arrested 36-year-old Seth Grant.
An employee at the store tells KFOR the kid came inside, followed by Grant.
“The one guy that was walking around the store with his hands in his pocket – that’s the one I was worried about,” said employee Nicky Roark. “I knew something was… something was different.”
Roark says the child asked to borrow a phone, but never called anyone.
“He said something about, he was at Newcastle and somebody took his car and I kind of thought to myself he’s not really old enough to be driving I didn’t think,” Roark said. “He just said he needed to call somebody to try to come pick him up.”
Eventually deputies were able to arrest Grant, and get the boy to safety.
“I’m glad it turned out the way it turned out and everything turned out great,” said Roark.
“We could’ve had a horrible horrible event … fortunately the child is safe … the child is not injured and doing well,” said Maj. Flowers.
Maj. Flowers told KFOR that the child’s mother was also arrested on a complaint of child neglect.
The boy is currently with the Chickasaw Lighthorse Police Department.
Chickasaw Lighthorse Police, the Canadian County Sheriff’s Office, Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and the Oklahoma City Police Department all worked the scene.
If you have any additional information on the case, call 911.