A week that began with loss in Macon, Ga., after 19 tornadoes touched down on Mother's Day ended with a joyous reunion Thursday between a Pennsylvania father and his 5-year-old son who was kidnapped last Father's Day.
The rescue of Imhotep Kea of Delaware County was accomplished through the efforts of the American Association for Lost Children, a 21-year-old nonprofit organization founded by Mark Miller of Latrobe.
"The father called us after he saw a television report on our work in March. We went right to work on it," he said Friday.
Miller said his partner Buddy Hall staked out the house in Macon where Imhotep was living with his mother and alleged abductor, Rosa Jimenez, for the past 11 months.
"There was a fallen tree at the house and we went over to cut it up. When we saw the little boy outside there, we told them we needed more help to cut the tree. That's when we contacted the police and brought them in," he said.
Miller said he was overwhelmed to witness Shawn Kea's joy at finding his son.
"It was great. This man is a wonderful, loving father," he said.
Macon police Sgt. Melanie Hofmann said Jimenez and her boyfriend, Raamiah Abdel-Rahim, were arrested and charged with interference with the custody of a child and absconding justice, both felonies. Four other children in the house were placed in protective custody.
Hofmann credited the work of Miller and his team with helping the city recover from storms that caused more than $100 million in damage, but spared lives.
"They definitely went above and beyond to rescue this child. Right now, we are in the midst of a natural disaster and to see a child reunited with his father in the midst of it all ... there's light entering the city," she said.
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