Police: 7-month-old girl found safe in NC days after abduction

Authorities in North Carolina have found a 7-month-old girl missing since police said her father abducted her from her mother at knifepoint in Virginia over the weekend.

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Danville police said Carl Kennedy was arrested Tuesday in Randleman, North Carolina. Authorities also found his daughter, 7-month-old Emma Grace Kennedy, officials said.

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"(She) appears to be in good health and is being evaluated at a local hospital," police said in a news release. "The mother of the child has been notified."

Update 8:56 a.m. EDT June 5: The FBI has joined the search for a 7-month-old girl who police believe is in "extreme danger" after being abducted by her father.

Police have been searching for Emma Grace Kennedy after they said her father, Carl Kennedy, took the child at knifepoint from her mother at a gas station in Danville, Virginia on Sunday night.

An Amber Alert was issued following the abduction and that search has extended to the Durham area. Police there said they received a call around 1:30 a.m. Tuesday from someone who said a man tried to sell them a baby.

Investigators said the description of the man trying to sell the baby did not completely match that of Carl Kennedy though, and Danville police said the alleged attempted sale of the child was not a credible lead in the search for Emma.

Police also received a tip that Carl Kennedy was spotted in Seven Springs, east of Fayetteville. Investigators believe he could be headed to Oak Island.

Emma Grace Kennedy has blonde hair and blue eyes and was last seen wearing a light blue onesie with dots and a white rabbit on the left leg, with a matching headband.

Emma has a small scar on her left cheek.

Investigators said 51-year-old Carl Kennedy has several tattoos: a skull on his left forearm, a wizard on his upper left arm, a skull with a bandana over its mouth on his right forearm and a pit bull with "American bulldog" written under it on his upper right arm.

He also has an eye tattoo on the back of his right hand and has a pierced left ear.

He was last seen wearing a brown t-shirt, gray shorts, and black and white Sketchers.

Police said he was last seen driving a gold Suzuki sedan with North Carolina tags EKZ-509. There is front-end damage on the left side.

There's also an emblem on the vehicle that says, "Johnny's Auto Sales."

Emma's mother, Kristen Murphy, said she's worried about what might happen to her daughter.

"He has nothing left to lose now," she said. "I feel like he would hurt Emma."

According to authorities, Carl Kennedy was armed with a knife when he assaulted the infant's mother at a Kwik Stop gas station and took the girl.

Police said Carl Kennedy is registered as a sex offender in North Carolina and is currently out of jail on a $250,000 bond for drug distribution.

North Carolina incarceration records show Kennedy was convicted in 2014 on a felony charge of strangulation and a charge of misdemeanor sexual battery. Sexual battery means he engaged in sexual contact with someone against his or her will or with someone who was mentally disabled or physically incapacitated, according to the state's criminal code.

He was required to register as a sex offender for 10 years.

Assistant Chief Mark Lineberry of the Asheboro Police Department told The Courier-Tribune that the charges stemmed from a report by a woman that Kennedy assaulted her at a home.

Anyone with information about the abduction is asked to call the Danville Police Department at 434-799-6510 or 911.

Original report: An Amber Alert was issued Sunday night after a 7-month-old girl was abducted by her father, an armed sex offender who sported a skull tattoo at a Virginia gas station, WTVR reported.

Emma Grace Kennedy is described as a white female, 2 feet, 2 inches tall and 18 pounds. She has blue eyes and short blonde hair. She was wearing a light blue onesie, police said.

Troopers said Emma was abducted at a Danville gas station, adding that the suspect is believed to be Carl Ray Kennedy, 51. A Virginia State Police spokeswoman confirmed by telephone Monday morning that Carl Kennedy is Emma’s father.

Police said Kennedy, who was armed with a knife, assaulted the infant’s mother before abducting the girl at 7:55 p.m., WTVR reported. Troopers said Kennedy may be driving a four-door gold Suzuki with North Carolina tags FAA-1873.

Kennedy is described as a white male, 5 feet 8 inches tall and 170 pounds, troopers said. He has short gray hair and green eyes. He is a registered sex offender in North Carolina and was recently released from jail on drug distribution charges on a $250,000 bond, WTVR reported.

Police said Kennedy has several tattoos: a skull on his left forearm, a wizard on his upper left arm, a skull with a bandana over its mouth on his right forearm and a pit bull with “American bulldog” written under it on his upper right arm.

He also has an eye tattoo on the back of his right hand.

Anyone who has information that could help authorities is asked to call Danville Police Department at 1-434-799-5111 or Virginia State Police at 1-800-822-4453.

Cox Media Group