SANTA YSABEL, Calif. (CNS) - A toddler found wandering Wednesday morning near state Route 76 and Lake Henshaw in the northeast portion of San Diego County was originally believed to be a kidnapped boy from Los Angeles, but it was later determined he walked away from his nearby home in Santa Ysabel, authorities said.
The 2-year-old boy was discovered about 7:50 a.m. Wednesday alone along the shores of Lake Henshaw about a quarter of a mile from The Round Up Grill, formerly the site of the Lake Henshaw Cafe, sheriff's Lt. Matthew Glisson said. Sheriff's deputies were dispatched to the scene along with Cal Fire San Diego firefighters, who performed a medical evaluation and released the toddler to the sheriff's department.
Authorities initially believed the boy to be a 15-month-old child missing out of Los Angeles who was the subject of an early-morning Amber Alert in Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego counties, Glisson said. Los Angeles police believe that infant, Noe Reyna, was taken by his father from the Boyle Heights area and could be on his way to Mexico.
But the mother of the 2-year-old found near the Santa Ysabel cafe arrived on scene shortly after authorities and said the toddler had walked away from the family's home, Glisson said. His discovery was unrelated to the missing child out of Los Angeles.
Sheriff's deputies did not initially believe there was anything suspicious about the incident in Santa Ysabel, but deputies are mandated by law to report the incident to Child Protective Services, Glisson said. The state social services agency will conduct a follow-up investigation to ensure the child is safe.
