HOUSTON – Authorities say they have found a 4-month-old girl who was believed to be abducted by her mother's boyfriend.
The baby was found at the Mariner Inn, 1602 Seawall Boulevard, on Galveston Island, said Lt. Michael Gray.
The Amber Alert for 4-month-old Stephanie Phillips has been cancelled.
Houston police said Byron Gee, 32, took Stephanie from the Brays Oaks Apartments at 6405 West Bellfort about 5 a.m. on Tuesday, after he argued with the baby's mother.
According to the Houston Police Department, Gee is now in custody.
After taking the child, Gee ran to an apartment complex across the street and carjacked a woman who was headed to work, investigators said.
Police said Gee approached a woman in a white 1999 Ford Expedition and stole the vehicle and her purse. Relatives of the carjacking victim said the purse contained her paycheck and all the money she had saved.
The stolen vehicle was then found at a Red Carpet Inn in the 6100 block of the Gulf Freeway on Tuesday afternoon, but Gee and Stephanie were not there, investigators said.
Galveston police say Gee and the 4-month-old girl were in the Mariner Inn. Police officers and marshals performed a door-to-door search Tuesday evening at the inn, said police.
Authorities said the baby was found alone and Gee was gone, reported to be in the neighborhood nearby. A K9 unit helped locate Gee 15 blocks away at the intersection of 19 and Avenue L.
Gee was taken into custody by Houston police after 8 pm Tuesday evening.
According to Stephanie's relatives, Gee also goes by the name Bryan Brooks.
Gee has a lengthy criminal record that dates back to 2006. He has been convicted of assault with a deadly weapon, assault causing bodily injury, evading arrest unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and driving with a suspended license.
Police said EMS took the baby to the hospital as a precaution. Officials said she appeared to be fine.
A police chief went to the scene Tuesday evening and is conducting the investigation personally.
Texas EquuSearch officials said their command post was at West Bellfort at Sandpiper.
Byron Gee 2010 mug shot