Louisville Metro Police say they have located eight-year-old Sophia Snow and her mother, Jennifer Ansari. According to Indiana State Police, who issued an Amber Alert Tuesday, Sophia is back safe at home in Indiana.
Ansari and her daughter were the subject of the Amber Alert - issued after Ansari fled the state with the child last Friday. The alert was canceled Wednesday.
Louisville Metro Police say the mother and daughter were found at a home in the 8700 block of Hi-View Rd.
Police say Jennifer Ansari, 37, surrendered to LMPD and was very cooperative. She was arrested and taken to Metro Corrections on a warrant out of Indiana for Custodial Interference.
Sophia Snow is fine and unharmed. LMPD is in contact with Indiana officials.
Video from Eyewitness News' affiliate WAVE-TV shows Sophia crying and hugging her mother on the steps of the home where they were located. The girl was taken to a police car, where she was returned to Indiana.
Sophia's maternal grandparents tell Eyewitness News their granddaughter will be interviewed by Child Protective Services.
Fishers police said Ansari left town with the girl after learning she was about to lose custody of the girl to her ex-husband, Aaron Snow.
"I guess it was a mother's instinct. That's the way I look at it," said Suhail Ansari.
Ansari said his stepdaughter was never in any danger with her mother. So did Ansari's mother, Wanda Wagner, "There should not have been an Amber Alert. The child was nowhere in danger. The mother loves her and she would never hurt that child."
"Sophia was never in danger. She lived with us, I mean, I lived with her for almost four years without any problems," he said.
However, the court documents that charged Ansari with custodial interference, claim she made threats to numerous people and said her daughter was suicidal.
Ansari's husband said that was not true and added that this was a custody battle between ex-spouses that turned ugly, with an innocent child caught in the middle.
"He has a good lawyer, that's what happened," said Suhail.
Now, Jennifer Ansari is dealing with the criminal justice system, facing charges she interfered with her daughter being with her father, the person a Hamilton County Judge has ruled, the little girl belongs with now.
Jennifer Ansari is facing extradition to Indiana. According to police, it could take about a week for Ansari to come back to Hamilton County to face the charge of interfering with custody.
Eyewitness News spoke on the phone with Sophia's father Aaron Snow, who said he was glad his daughter was safe.
Amber Alert history
An Amber Alert was issued yesterday by Fishers Police when Jennifer Ansari removed the girl from her home after learning she was losing custody of Snow to her ex-husband, who lives in Florida.
On Wednesday afternoon, Fishers Police issued an arrest warrant for Ansari, who they say failed to turn up at a meeting location after they made contact with her.
The girl was living in Fishers with her mother and stepfather, who told police his wife packed a bag on Friday, August 30, and left with the girl after learning she was in jeopardy of losing custody.
Police issued the Amber Alert to get statewide exposure.
WAVE-TV interviewed Jennifer Ansari's parents, who said they had been in contact with their daughter.
Raymond Wagner, Ansari's father, told WAVE-TV, "My biggest fear is that my daughter is going to jail because she was trying to protect her daughter, my granddaughter."
Wagner maintains that Ansari believed her daughter would be harmed.
Indiana State Police issued a statewide Amber Alert at 9:15 p.m. Tuesday.
Snow's father has come from Florida to Hamilton County get his child. The girl is being checked out at a local hospital.
