Grandmother of Kidnapped Miami Boy Found in Canada Granted No Bond at Hearing – NBC 6 South Florida
The grandmother of Jorge “JoJo” Morales, the Miami boy with autism who was found last month in Canada after being kidnapped months before by his father, was extradited to South Florida to face charges for her role.
Lilliam Morales, 69, was booked into jail and appeared in a Miami-Dade court Wednesday on charges of interference with custody and removing a child from the state. she was given no bond.
JoJo had been missing since Aug. 27 after his father failed to return him to his mother as part of a custody agreement, authorities said.
Miami-Dade Corrections Lilliam Morales
A missing person alert for JoJo was issued naming the father, Jorge Gabriel Martinez, and his mother. Both were taken into custody by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police on Oct. 30 after JoJo was found, police said.
He was found in New Brunswick, Canada, after a tipster spotted the boy with his father at a Walmart.
The tipster called police from a Walmart in Moncton saying he saw the father and son shopping, according to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
For more than two months, Yanet Leal Concepcion, Morales’ mother, said she had been living in a nightmare.
“ I thought it is really good or really bad,” Concepcion said shortly after JoJo was found.
A woman who tipped off police after she spotted a missing 6-year-old Miami-Dade boy in a store in Canada after authorities said he was kidnapped by his father is speaking out as the boy is set to be reunited with his mother. In a phone interview Tuesday, the woman, who asked to remain anonymous, told NBC 6 that the story of Jorge “Jojo” Morales has been all over the news in Canada.
JoJo and his mother were reunited Nov. 2 at Miami International Airport.
“I missed you so much,” Concepcion said through tears and joyful laughter after JoJo ran into her arms.
“I’m sorry, I can’t stop crying. I’m so happy,” Concepcion said before reporters Tuesday night. “I missed that boy so much.”
In honor of her son’s safe return, Concepcion said she was going to recreate Halloween and her birthday, which he missed while he was gone.
