Chapel Hill Police seeking parents of missing newborn found safe in Durham

Chapel Hill police are looking for the parents of a baby boy who was found safe in Durham two hours after an Amber Alert was issued for him Monday night.

Child Protective Services notified police on Friday that it had a court order to take custody of the 8-day-old baby and needed help finding him, a Police Department spokesperson said Tuesday.

On Monday, the N.C. Center for Missing Persons issued an Amber Alert around 6:45 p.m. for the child, who was last seen with his parents Friday at the Red Roof Inn on Fordham Boulevard.

The child’s parents — Justin Lee Brown, 29, of Durham, and Destinee Ariel Cothran, 26, of Garner — remain at large as of Tuesday evening, police said.

“We’re thankful the child was quickly and safely located following the alert,” Chapel Hill police spokesperson Alex Carrasquillo said by email Tuesday afternoon. “Our agency hasn’t filed charges at this time, and the investigation is ongoing.”

On Monday night, police said they believed the newborn was in danger but didn’t elaborate. They also did not say how the baby was found.

ABC11, The News & Observer’s newsgathering partner, reported that a white 1997 Mercury Mystique was found outside a Big Lots store on Southwest Durham Drive Monday night. Authorities were seen with a baby carrier and a blanket behind University Ford on nearby Witherspoon Boulevard off U.S. 15-501 in Durham, ABC11 reported.

Redacted 911 call released

A heavily edited 911 call released Tuesday appeared to come from an agency that was preparing to take custody of the baby when the parents left with him, headed to a pediatrician’s office. The agency had someone following the car, and the caller asked that police issue a bulletin.

The parents did not stop at the office and continued to drive, the caller said. The caller gave the 911 operator the names of the parents.

Cothran is 5 feet 3 inches tall, with brown hair and hazel eyes.

Brown is is 5 feet 8 inches tall, with brown hair and brown eyes.

Anyone with information should call 911 or contact the Chapel Hill Police Department at 919-968-2760 (8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday). Callers who wish to remain anonymous can call Chapel Hill-Carrboro-UNC Crimestoppers at 919-942-7515 or visit https://chapelhillcrimestoppers.com/.