American Fork authorities arrested a Lindon man Tuesday after allegedly kidnapping a 1-year-old girl from her home.

According to a press release released by American Fork city officials, officials responded to a local residence just before 7 a.m. on Tuesday after receiving reports of an ongoing child abduction. The child’s mother informed authorities that someone entered the house through a back door, went to her daughter’s bedroom, and took the child away.

The mother said she heard her daughter cry and a vehicle drove away.

When local officials arrived and contacted the mother, she informed them that there was a man who followed her and referred to him as 25-year-old Aaron Castro from Lindon. Although Castro and the mother “knew each other” according to the press release, Castro is not the child’s biological father.

When officials discovered that Castro lived in Lindon, the American Fork authorities asked Lindon officials to respond at his apartment. While Lindon officials were arriving on site, one of Castro’s female family members allegedly contacted shipping and reported that she had found a baby outside the residence.

When Lindon officials arrived on site, they were able to clearly identify the child as American Fork’s missing baby. The authorities were also able to contact and arrest Castro from inside his home in order to continue their investigation.

After his arrest, Castro was taken to the American Fork Police Department to speak to the police. In an interview with police, Castro allegedly said he went to a Pleasant Grove Recreation Center to do weight training when the child was abducted. He reportedly didn’t see the child in the driveway of his residence until he returned home.

Officials from the Pleasant Grove Police Department checked video footage from the Pleasant Grove Recreation Center and reported that Castro was not there at the time of the incident, according to a press release.

At the time of the incident, Castro’s vehicle was also placed by video surveillance in the area of ​​the child abduction site. The footage also showed Castro walking and returning to his apartment before and after the child abduction.

Detectives reportedly confronted Castro with this information, as well as several other pieces of evidence discovered. However, Castro claimed he had been to the recreation center and nowhere else.

Police also interviewed Castro’s female family member, who had contacted dispatch that morning.

The woman said she woke up after 7 a.m. Tuesday with a crying baby and immediately got out of bed to see what was going on. When she looked outside, the woman allegedly told police she saw the baby outside on the ground while Castro was around his vehicle with the car doors open. The temperatures at that time were in the 30s.

Castro’s family and the child’s mother describe him as mentally ill.

As a precaution, the child was taken to a local hospital by ambulance.

Medical staff reported that the child did not appear to have suffered any “observable injuries,” adding that local officials said they were lethargic, according to the press release. The child was released from the hospital and to his parents. The authorities have reported that the child is “fine”.

“We are grateful for the quick response and attention to detail from our officers and detectives who ultimately helped ensure the safe rescue and return of the child,” said American Fork’s press release. “We would also like to thank the Lindon Police Department, the Pleasant Grove Police Department, the Orem Police Department, and the Central Utah 911 Dispatch for their assistance in this investigation and the safe recovery of the 1 year old victim. We value the positive inter-jurisdictional relationships we have with our law enforcement and shipping counterparts in Utah County. “

Castro was detained in Utah County Prison on suspicion of first degree kidnapping, second degree home break-in, and child abuse and neglect of Class A.

The investigation is still ongoing and the case is under consideration by the Utah County Attorney’s Office.