ALEEHA GREEN - 5 months - / Arrested: Father, Jeff Green - Yuma, AZ

UPDATE: Man taken into custody in kidnapping

September 18, 2013 1:16 PM


UPDATED at 9:05 p.m.: A Yuma firefighter was arrested and his infant daughter taken into custody by police Wednesday afternoon when a manhunt encompassing three states ended in Utah. The girl, 5-month-old Aleeha Green, was not harmed and was taken into state custody until family members could arrive, according to the Utah Highway Patrol.


At about 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, the baby's biological father, 47-year-old Jeff Green, was seen by UHP officers driving a truck on Interstate 15 near St. George, Utah. After Green pulled over to the side of the road, the officers found Aleeha inside the vehicle "healthy, happy and beautiful," they said.

According to the Yuma Police Department, at about 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Green got into an argument with the baby's mother about custody issues because he does not possess any custodial rights for Aleeha.

Green then reportedly snatched the girl and fled with her in a lime green 1997 Dodge pickup truck with purple flames on the hood.
The mother contacted the Yuma Police Department at about 10 p.m. to report the incident.

An Amber Alert for the girl was not immediately issued in the state of Arizona because, according to Arizona Amber Alert, the system is not utilized when a child is abducted as the result of a child custody dispute and is not facing an immediate credible threat of immediate danger, serious bodily harm or death.

This decision was made even though Green had reportedly made suicidal comments to family members and may have been in possession of a firearm.

Green was later seen driving in the area of Boulder City, Nev., to the southeast of Las Vegas. An Amber Alert concerning Aleeha was issued in that state at about 2 p.m. Wednesday.

Green then continued driving northeast on Interstate 15 out of Nevada and through the northwest corner of Arizona before entering Utah where he was discovered by two UHP officers. The officers, who were waiting at the state line after learning of the kidnapping, then began following the truck.

At some point before arriving in Utah, Green reportedly attempted to disguise his truck by hand painting over the lime green coat with white primer. Even though the truck was now a different color, the UHP officers confirmed the truck belonged to Green by matching the license plate number with information provided via the Amber Alert.

Once he became aware he was being followed, Green reportedly pulled over to the side of the road about four miles north of the Arizona border. It was not immediately clear if a gun was recovered from the vehicle when he was arrested.

He was later taken to the Washington County Jail where he awaits extradition to Yuma to face a potential felony charge of custodial interference.

Green, a fire captain for the Yuma Fire Department, was still employed by the city of Yuma as of Wednesday morning.
YPD encourages anyone with information about this incident to call Detective K. Huntley at 373-4781 or their main line at 373-4700 or 78-CRIME to remain anonymous.
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UPDATED at 3 p.m.: At about 2:30 p.m. today, the Utah Highway Patrol stopped Jeff Green, and he was taken into custody without incident. Aleeha Green was found in the vehicle with him, unharmed. The stop happened at approximately four miles north of the Arizona/Utah state line on Interstate 15.

Check back with YumaSun.com for details as this develops.
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ORIGINAL POST 1:15 p.m. - Police have issued a felony arrest warrant for a man who has taken his five-month-old daughter from her mother after an argument about custody issues.

According to the Yuma Police Department, on Tuesday, at about 9:57 p.m., officers went to 3200 block of West Patricia Lane for a report of custodial interference.

The initial investigation revealed 47-year-old Jeff Green took his 5-month-old biological daughter from her mother after an argument about custody issues. Jeff Green has no custodial rights. Green has made suicidal comments to family and may be in possession of a firearm.

The suspect is described as a male, 5’ 10” 185 pounds, with green eyes and brown hair. He was last seen driving away with the child in a 1997 lime green Dodge truck with purple flames, Arizona plate NTY586.  Green was last seen in the area of Boulder City Nevada at about 7:00 am this morning and now believed to be in the Las Vegas area. He may be heading toward Montana.
The child, Aleeha Green, has blonde hair and green eyes. She was last seen wearing a white “onesie” that says “daddies girl’ on the front.

The investigation continues and there is a felony arrest warrant for Jeff Green.

YPD is asking anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Jeff Green and his daughter to call Detective K. Huntley at (928) 373-4781 or the Yuma Police Department at (928) 373-4700 or 78-crime to remain anonymous.