Amber Alert issued for 5-year-old Tavares boy abducted by grandmother, police say

TAVARES, Fla. – An investigation into the disappearance of a 5-year-old Tavares has been upgraded to an Amber Alert.

Tavares police said Jace Saunders was last seen on the south side of the city in the area of ​​Summerall Park around 6 p.m. 13:19. at the residence, but with a family friend, Mitchell Morris, on a golf cart ride.

Instead of bringing the boy back, police said Morris went to a park and gave the boy to his grandmother, Kelly Dasilva, in a black Honda Accord or passenger car.

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Morris was arrested for interference with custody. Police also said late Sunday night that the boy’s parents, Taylor Judy and Brandon Saunders, were arrested on custodial interference charges for their failure to cooperate with law enforcement in efforts to find their son.

Tavares police said Dasilva “currently has an active Lake County warrant for kidnapping and interference with custody.”

Saunders is described as being semi-verbal and around 3ft tall and wearing dark blue long pajamas with a graphic design on the front.

The photo below is the last time Saunders was confirmed to have been seen, according to the release.

Tavares police are asking the community to call police immediately if they see Dasilva and/or Saunders and to contact the Tavares Police Department agency immediately and refer to case number T24120625.

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