Long Beach woman who set off Amber Alert faces criminal charges
Criminal charges have been filed against a Long Beach woman who allegedly abducted her 12-year-old son, setting off a statewide Amber Alert, the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office said.
Sri Ann Johnston, 48, has been charged with one count each of kidnapping and child custody deprivation, prosecutors said Monday.
Johnston picked up her son, Nicholas Johnston, for a midweek visitation March 5 but did not take him to school the next day as scheduled, they said.
On Monday around 1:20 p.m. the California Highway Patrol issued an Amber Alert for Nicholas, rattling cellphones throughout the state.
Authorities searching for the pair in a tan 1998 Saturn located the boy more than an hour later in Oceanside and took Johnston into custody. No injuries were reported.
The boy was later reunited with his father, the Long Beach Police Department said.
Twitter: @latvives
Sign up for Essential California
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
