Police: Missing toddler Baylee Sue Peeples found safe, father in custody

JEFFERSON, Ga. — A man accused of abducting his 1-year-old daughter Thursday morning from a home in Jackson County, Georgia, remained in custody Friday after police captured him one day earlier in Gwinnett County.

>> Read more trending news

Robert Joseph "Joey" Peeples, 39, was located Thursday night after a patrol officer spotted his van. He had been accused of kidnapping his daughter, Baylee Sue Peeples, who was found safe earlier Thursday at a relative's house.

Update 12:45 p.m. EDT March 29: Robert Joseph "Joey" Peeples, 39, of Lawrenceville, was located Thursday night after a patrol officer spotted his older model white GMC van parked in a driveway on Peninsula Trace. Backup and police dogs were called in just before 9:30 p.m., a plan was put in place, and officers set up a perimeter around the home, Gwinnett police spokeswoman Cpl. Michele Pihera told AJC.com.

Peeples was sitting in the van when he was surrounded.

"The officers gave him verbal commands, and he complied," Pihera said. "He was immediately taken into custody and transported to the Gwinnett County Jail."

Peeples remains at the Gwinnett jail Friday on a hold for the Arcade Police Department in Jackson County. The agency is investigating the alleged abduction of Baylee Sue Peeples with the assistance of the GBI.

Update 6:20 a.m. EDT March 29: The father of a 1-year-old who was abducted from her Georgia home is now in police custody.

Robert "Joey" Peeples is listed in the Gwinnett County Jail as of Friday morning.

Police said in a news conference Thursday afternoon that Baylee Sue Peeples was located and was in good health. The child had been missing since early Thursday morning.

Police said Peeples was dropping Baylee off at her grandmother's home when he and her mother, Tiffany Aycock, got in an argument. Police said Peeples refused to let the toddler out of the car.

Police said Peeples hit Aycock with his van as she tried to get Baylee away from him.

Baylee was later located Thursday afternoon at a family member's home.

Update 2:45 p.m. EDT March 28: The Arcade Police Department said a missing 1-year-old who was abducted from Jefferson has been found safe in Gwinnett County.

Police said in a news conference Thursday afternoon that Baylee Sue Peeples has been located and is in good health. She was reported missing Thursday morning.

Her father, Robert Joseph Peeples, who is accused of abducting her, is still on the run. Police said Peeples left the child in the custody of a family member in Gwinnett County.

The Department of Children and Family Services will assess Baylee.

Original report: The Arcade Police Department in Georgia is searching for a missing toddler it said is in extreme danger.

Baylee Sue Peeples was reported missing Thursday morning in Jefferson, Georgia. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has issued a Levi's Call, the state's Amber Alert, for the little girl.

The 1-year-old was wearing a pink shirt with hearts on it and the words "always amazing," and a pink and black jacket with the word "love" on it. She turns two next month, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.

Authorities said she was abducted by Robert Joseph Peeples. He is 39 years old and may be in a white 1993 GMC Vandura van with a Georgia tag RIK1620.

The two may be headed toward Gwinnett County or Winder or Mississippi, authorities say.

Cellphone records show the two were on I-85 at Spaghetti Junction around 4:30 a.m., WSB reported.

The GBI is assisting with the search. WSB spoke to Baylee's mother, who said her daughter's father was dropping them off at home and when she tried to get Baylee out of the car seat, he told her she would never see her daughter again and drove away.

The Cox Media Group National Content Desk contributed to this report.

Cox Media Group