HOUSTON – A woman and her 7-year-old son who were abducted Tuesday, prompting an Amber Alert, were found safe hours later in northwest Houston.
The Amber Alert was issued for Cameron James Tuesday shortly before 7 a.m.
Houston police said he and his mother were abducted from 1726 Ojeman Road at 3:15 a.m. by an armed 22-year-old man.
Julia Solis said Cameron and his mother were staying with her for a few weeks, along with her new boyfriend.
Solis' daughter, Julie, said the woman's ex-boyfriend, 22-year-old Joseph Ballejo, called her looking for drugs.
"He called me, looking for drugs, PCP," said Julie Solis. "I made a phone call and he went to go get it, he was at the spot, so he got his drugs. He talked to my brother. My brother let him know that he was dating his ex-girlfriend, so he came over here. He was in sitting in the room, he was sitting on top of the bed, and he took out the gun all of a sudden and he told my brother, 'Hey, bro, I'm not feeling this.' It was jealousy, so he took out the gun and pointed it to my brother."
Julie Solis said Ballejo grabbed her by her neck and threw her toward the bed. She said she started screaming so her parents would wake up.
"My mother and father open the door and he points the gun at them also," Julie Solis said.
Ballejo then demanded that the woman and boy go with him, the Solis family said.
"He said, 'Y'all get out of my way,' with the gun ... he was throwing around the gun," said Julia Solis.
Julia Solis said Ballejo pointed the gun in her face.
"I just moved to the side and I told him, 'Please leave her alone. Let her go,'" Julia Solis said. "He said, 'No. She's coming with me. I'm taking her.'"
Boy, Mother Found Safe
Detectives said Ballejo then picked up Cameron and forced him and his mother to get into an SUV.
"I was so worried about them because I didn't know what was going to happen," Julia Solis said.
Shortly after 7:30 a.m., police said the mother and child were found safe at the Western Inn motel at 1500 North Loop West near Ella Boulevard.
Neither was injured. The Amber Alert was canceled.
Ballejo was taken into custody. He has an extensive criminal history.
Ballejo is not Cameron's father, police said.