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Abducted NJ Toddler Found In Tennessee, Dad In Custody, Mom Remains Missing

A 2-year-old boy abducted by his dad was found unharmed in Tennessee while his mom remained missing as of Saturday morning, authorities in Union County said.

AMBER ALERT (ABDUCTION): Yasemin Uyar Sebastian Rios, Tyler Rios

AMBER ALERT (ABDUCTION): Yasemin Uyar Sebastian Rios, Tyler Rios

Photo Credit: NJ STATE POLICE
Sebastian Rios

Sebastian Rios

Photo Credit: Highland Park PD

Tyler Rios, 27, of Highland Park was arrested without incident, Acting Union County Prosecutor Lyndsay V. Ruotolo and Rahway Police Department Director Jonathan Parham said.

Yasmine Uyar of Rahway, had yet to be found, they said.

Rios was convicted of aggravated assault on a domestic violence victim and was placed on conditional probation out of Middlesex County just last year, court records show.

A multi-agency investigation was launched when Sebastian did not show up for daycare Friday and Uyar did not arrive for scheduled work shifts, authorities said.

Rios was identified as a suspect in the case, and a welfare check was conducted on Uyar’s home by members of the Rahway Police Department Friday morning. No one was found inside.

Shortly thereafter, the State Police issued an Amber Alert that was sent to privately owned cell phones, broadcast on electronic billboards along highways in New Jersey and beyond, and widely shared via social media.

Rios remains in custody in Tennessee pending extradition back to New Jersey and the filing of criminal charges in Union County Superior Court. 

Sebastian's grandmother (Uyar's mother) on Friday said that Rios could have gotten at least a 24-hour head start and was possibly 800 miles away. 

“While we are relieved that Sebastian Rios has been found safe and that Tyler Rios is in custody, we are still urging anyone with information about the whereabouts of Yasmine Uyar to come forward and tell us what they know, even anonymously,” Ruotolo said.

An investigation was being led by the Union County Prosecutor’s Office, and assisted by members of the FBI’s Newark Field Office and satellite offices, under the leadership of Special Agent in Charge George M. Crouch, Jr.

New Jersey State Police under the leadership of Colonel Patrick J. Callahan, and the Rahway Police Department, under the leadership of Director Parham, were also involved.

Anyone with information about this matter is still urged to contact Prosecutor’s Office Lt. Johnny Ho at 908-403-8271 or Detective Richard Acosta at 908-347-0404. 

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