Coolidge toddler found safe, Amber Alert canceled

A 2-year-old boy taken from his home in Coolidge was found safe early Wednesday morning, canceling an overnight Amber Alert.

Eric Warrior Smith Jr. was found inside a parked minivan about 50 miles from home at the Gila River Indian Community. A police helicopter spotted the vehicle, which had been abandoned. Gila River Police suspect the boy was taken by his sitter, 19-year-old Anna Marie Johnson, who not been found.

The alert for the boy had been sent out just before midnight Tuesday and lasted about five hours, but the boy had.

“That’s my boy, that’s my warrior, he’s in good health,” said a relieved, tearful Eric W. Smith, the boy’s father. The toddler was taken to a hospital as a precaution.

Smith told police he came home about 4 p.m. after an appointment to an empty house. When he realized the family’s van also was missing, he went to a nearby park to look for the boy and the sitter. He searched for about two hours before flagging down police.

Johnson is 5 feet 11 and 180 pounds.

Anybody with information is asked to call 520-562-4511.