Police have found a 2-year-old girl whose father took her Saturday morning from her mother while they slept in West Valley City.

Salt Lake City police spotted 24-year-old Cesar Vasquez-Barron's car at about noon, shortly after an Amber Alert was issued, said West Valley City police Lt. Bill Merritt. They found Natalia Velazquez safe and healthy with her father's brother.

Vasquez-Barron was arrested about 10 minutes later. The brother also has been detained, but is cooperating with police and might not be charged in the kidnapping, Merritt said.

Natalia was asleep with her mother when her father entered the house they were staying in on the 3500 West block of Ridgeland Circle (2570 South) in West Valley City. He got in through an unlocked sliding glass door at about 9:20 a.m., picked her up and left.

The mother tried to run barefoot in the snow after him, but he escaped. He called and sent her text messages indicating he was headed for Mexico.

The couple never was married. The father has had visitation rights to the girl, but does not have any legal custody.

West Valley City police issued an Amber Alert at about 11:30 a.m. Saturday. Salt Lake City officers spotted Vasquez-Barron's car on the 1000 South block of Jefferson Street (220 West).

Vasquez-Barron has a history of domestic violence against the mother, but has not hurt the girl in the past, Merritt said. He has a criminal record and goes by several aliases, including Gabriel Velazquez, Luis Fernandez and Christian DeJesus.

Merritt said Vasquez-Barron was previously deported as a felon, but re-entered the country about two weeks ago.

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