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Officers Give Details of Abduction Investigation

GORDON — A 10 year old from Schuylkill County is now back with her mother and stepfather after being taken from her home Thursday. Now police say the moth...

GORDON -- A 10 year old from Schuylkill County is now back with her mother and stepfather after being taken from her home Thursday.

Now police say the mother's ex-boyfriend and his mother are responsible for the kidnapping.

Alexandria Long lives in the borough of Gordon in Schuylkill County.

Friday morning, the 10 year old was reunited with her family, while federal agents are now looking into why the alleged kidnappers took the girl to upstate New York in the first place.

Alexandria Long rushed up to hug her step-dad after police say she was kidnapped and taken across state lines to upstate New York.

Police say Long was last seen around 4:30 p.m. Thursday at her home in Gordon. That night after her mom searched a nearby park, she called police to report her daughter missing. An Amber Alert was then sent out.

Peter Tarbox from Norwood in upstate New York, and his mother Annette Williams are now charged in the alleged kidnapping.

Police say Alexandria's mom dated and lived with Tarbox years ago.

"No contact whatsoever between the mother and Mr. Tarbox, but recently within the past two months, Laura the mother had found out that Alexandria had been making contact with Mr. Tarbox via Facebook," explained Butler Township Police Officer Shawn Butler.

Police say Alexandria's mother saw her daughter's last call on her phone was from Tarbox Thursday afternoon.   Federal agents are now looking into why she was taken.

"There were no demands made. There was no reward made, and we didn't know what his purpose was if he was using her for some sort of shield or revenge."

Neighbors in Gordon say they didn't notice anyone or anything suspicious around the time Alexandria went missing, but now police are praising the officer from upstate New York who got the Amber Alert on his own personal cell phone and then caught her alleged kidnappers.

"I think without a doubt, the Amber Alert is the reason that Alexandria is safe today."

An officer in Governeur, New York near the Canadian border and a few hours north of Syracuse saw the alert, and noticed the suspects and the green Saab matching the Amber Alert's description at a gas station.

"This was fantastic police work on his part. Not only did he get just get the alert and receive it, but he made note of it," said Butler Township Police Chief Ed Tarentelli.

Tarbox and Williams are locked up in New York state facing several charges including kidnapping and endangering the welfare of children.

Police say the pair will be facing federal charges but they don't know when they will be brought back to Schuylkill County.

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