Seven Month Old Child Kidnapped in Henagar, Located Unharmed

From the Office of DeKalb County Sheriff Nick Welden: 

FORT PAYNE, Ala.- On Saturday, May 9th 2026 at approximately 10:00 pm, Henagar Police responded to MJ Fuels in regards to parents reporting their 7-month-old child had been kidnapped by a man they had been traveling with. The Dekalb County Drugs and Major Crimes Unit responded and an area-wide BOLO was put out for the endangered child and the suspect's vehicle. 

It was determined during the investigation that the suspect, later identified as Selvin Alirio Reyes-Lopez (29 of New Jersey) had left the gas station in a white Ford Expedition traveling west bound on HWY 40 in the direction of Jackson County. 

Selvin Alirio Reyes-Lopez (29 of New Jersey)

At approximately 11:15 pm and while in the process of issuing a nationwide Amber Alert, Dekalb County 911 was notified that Madison Police Officers had located the vehicle and Reyes-Lopez in Madison, Alabama and had also found the child unharmed. 

Investigators with the Dekalb County Drugs and Major Crimes Unit and Henagar Police Officers then responded to the suspect's location where he was arrested for Kidnapping 2nd Degree. It was determined during the course of the investigation that Reyes-Lopez had indicators of being involved in Human Smuggling. Reyes-Lopez was also found to be a Guatemalan national illegally residing within the United States and the Department of Homeland Security will be assisting in this case. 

On 5/11/2026 additional warrants were obtained on Reyes-Lopez for two counts of Human Smuggling under Alabama Code 31-13-13.1. These warrants were served on Reyes-Lopez while he was incarcerated in the Dekalb County Detention Center.

Thanks to all assisting agencies as well as the assistance rendered by management of MJ Fuels in Henagar for providing immediate access to camera footage that led directly to the identification of Reyes-Lopez and the safe rescue of an innocent child. 

DeKalb County Sheriff Nick Welden said of the incident: "This arrest is the result of phenomenal teamwork and I am so thankful this baby is safe and sound back at home where it belongs.  Protecting children from those to seek to exploit them is one of the most important responsibilities we have in law enforcement"

"God Bless!" Concluded Sheriff Welden.