LONGMONT, Colo. — Luke Turner and his mother, Brandy reunited Tuesday after the 3-year-old was found safe in Canada Sunday.
The two appeared at a news conference in a room at Denver International right after their plane landed Tuesday night. High winds at DIA delayed their flight by about 90 minutes.
Police in Longmont say the boy’s noncustodial father, 51-year-old Monty Turner, was arrested after being found with his son at a motel in Brandon, a town in Manitoba, Canada.
Longmont police believe Monty Turner kidnapped his son from his estranged wife’s home in the 700 block of Eldora Place Saturday morning. He waited in the garage of the home for hours, watching Luke and his mother through holes drilled in the wall. He finally sprang out around 10 a.m., assaulted his wife and fled with his son, police said.
After nearly 27 hours of searching, investigators learned of Monty Turner’s location in Canada through an FBI tip, Longmont police commander Jeff Satur said. A simple phone call to the hotel revealed that the suspect had registered using his real name. He surrendered without incident when police moved in. The child was not injured.
Ronald Turner, Monty’s father and the child’s grandfather, was arrested Saturday night in Missouri on suspicion of helping plan and execute the kidnapping, police said. At that time, he was driving a white 1999 Chrysler 300 with Colorado plates that Monty Turner had earlier been seen in. Investigators believe this was a deliberate diversion the two men planned out, and that Monty Turner fled directly to Canada, with his young son, in a different vehicle.
Ronald Turner was arrested on a charge of complicity to commit second-degree kidnapping. His bond was set at $100,000.
Both suspects will be extradited to Longmont. Because of the interstate and international nature of the alleged crime, federal charges may be forthcoming. Monty Turner also has an outstanding warrant and is the subject of a protection order prohibiting contact with Luke and his mother, so he will face additional charges, police said.
Officers said Luke had just been reunited with his mother, Brandy Turner, in March after Monty had previously taken his son in July of 2012.
Brandy Turner spoke to the media Sunday evening after her son was recovered. She had talked to Luke on the phone and said he was doing well. He stayed at a foster home while police arranged to bring him home, she said.
When Monty broke into Brandy’s home, Luke told his father, “Don’t hurt mommy,” she said.