Mother of Petaluma boy arrested in Maui for child abduction, child is safe
Sonoma County sheriff's officials are looking for missing 9-year-old Santiago Barros, last seen on March 2, 2020 at his home. (Sonoma County Sheriff's Office)
PETALUMA, Calif. - The Maui Police Department on Thursday arrested a woman on suspicion of abducting her 9-year-old son, according to the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office.
A public transit driver recognized Autumn Stone, 38, and the boy from alerts as they boarded a bus around 9 a.m. and called authorities, sheriff's Sgt. Juan Valencia said.
On Feb. 20, a judge granted an emergency custody order prohibiting Stone from contact with the boy and granting the father full custody, Valencia said.
Sheriff's detectives learned on Wednesday that Stone bought two plane tickets to Maui at Oakland International Airport. The plane departed around 7 a.m. and arrived in Maui at 10:18 a.m. Detectives then obtained a warrant for Stone's arrest, Valencia said.
Information about Stone and the boy was broadcast over news and media outlets, leading to the location of Stone, Valencia said.
The boy is safe and unharmed and in the custody of child welfare services. Stone was booked on suspicion of child abduction in the Maui Community Corrections Center and will be extradited to Sonoma County, Valencia said.