Missing Beaverton toddler found; mother in custody after taking son, police say

UPDATE: On Friday, court documents show Mari Martinez was arraigned on several charges but is not being charged with kidnapping.

BEAVERTON Ore. (KPTV) - A 3-year-old boy from Beaverton has been found safe after an AMBER Alert was issued on Wednesday, according to police.

Beaverton Police Department said 3-year-old Joshua Ovalles’ mother, Mari Martinez, kidnapped the toddler on Tuesday morning after a Washington County judge took Martinez’s custody rights away. According to police, the judge believed Joshua was in danger while in Martinez’s custody.

“After the hearing was done, she immediately left, went and got Joshua, packed her things and left on foot with Joshua,” said Beaverton Police spokesman Matt Henderson.

It was these images from Tuesday that sent detectives on a chase to find the mother and son.

“The surveillance photos: hoodies are up, people are covered up, Joshua is covered up,” Henderson said.

The search prompted an Amber Alert to be issued on Wednesday afternoon, which was canceled after detectives realized Martinez was not driving her SUV.

“When you see an Amber Alert, it’s very serious. We know a vehicle, a suspect, and we know a child is in danger,” said Henderson.

By Thursday afternoon, Joshua was found unharmed in Lake Oswego.

“Mom dropped him off with a person that she knows. And we located Joshua, and he is safe,” Henderson said.

Shortly after, police found Martinez in the area with the help of other law enforcement agencies.

Beaverton Police said this wasn’t Martinez’s first run-in with the law.

“We have open investigations here at the Beaverton Police Department about his mom and related child abuse investigations,” said Henderson.

Court documents obtained by FOX 12 detail the concerns Child Protective Services had with Martinez being around her 3-year-old son, specifically citing mental injury, physical abuse, and neglect on Martinez’s part.

CPS said Martinez’s two older children were placed in temporary custody of their father, and they were concerned for Joshua.

At the end of last month, court documents revealed there was a drowning incident with the 3-year-old while in the care of his mother at a community hot tub. And it was that incident, along with other concerns, that prompted Joshua’s father to file for temporary custody of the 3-year-old.

Martinez was charged with second-degree custodial interference, second-degree child neglect, recklessly endangering another person during her arraignment on Friday.