2-year-old Houston boy found at motel after Amber Alert tip

HOUSTON (FOX 26) - Police say a 2-year-old Houston boy at the center of an Amber Alert was found apparently safe and unharmed Sunday night after investigators followed a tip.

According to the Houston Police Department, Jeremiah Lambert was found at a southwest Houston motel about an hour after an Amber Alert was issued.

Standing outside of a motel off the Gulf Freeway, Jermiah’s mother Jatavia Bookman and their family rejoiced as the 2-year-old boy had finally been found.

“I am just happy that my cousin got her baby back,” says Whitney White. She had been searching for Jeremiah all night and day. “I’m glad that we kind of got where we got, because the police wouldn’t have got what they got without us, and without the leads from other people.

“Tips were coming in and patrol responded and found the vehicle here at the motel,” K. Fregia with the Houston Police Department says. “So I’d like to thank the community. They really stepped up and the cooperation was greatly appreciated and greatly needed and we found the child, apparently appears to be unharmed.”

Earlier in the day, FOX 26 spoke with the boy’s mother who says it all started Saturday when her husband’s uncle came over to help work on a car and at one point asked to take Jeremiah outside.

“They were outside. They were supposed to be in the parking lot changing a tire,” Jatavia says. “We look out, the car is missing and the child is missing. We have been looking and calling around ever since.”

Prentis Curtis had been on parole, and family members say they were called Saturday night by his patrol officer who said his ankle monitor had been cut off. A day later, he was sitting in custody in the back of a patrol car, and Jeremiah was safe in his mother’s arms.

Jeremiah was taken to Texas Children’s Hospital to get checked out, but police say he appeared to be doing well and was in good spirits.