Long Beach
Police Department

Media Relations
400 W. Broadway
Long Beach, CA 90802
(562) 570-5273
3/10/2014
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEPress Release # 2014
Subject:
MISSING CHILD FOUND
Contact:
Media Relations Detail
(562) 570-5273






Long Beach Police and the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force located missing child Nicholas Johnston, today, in Oceanside. He was found unharmed and will be reunited with his father.

The 12-year-old was abducted by his non-custodial parent, Sri Ann Johnston, on March 5, 2014. He was last seen when his mother picked him up from his Long Beach school, on March 5, 2014, around 3:30 p.m., for his scheduled overnight visit. On March 6, 2014, the custodial parent received a second party call advising that the child may be in the Oceanside area. Believing the child would be returned home, the father didn’t report him missing to law enforcement until Friday evening around 9:15 p.m.

The Long Beach Police Department began searching for the victim, alerting local hospitals, area law enforcement, and public transportation agencies. The incident did not meet Amber Alert criteria at the time of the initial report, as there was nothing to substantiate any risk of any physical harm to the child. LBPD continued actively searching for the child throughout the weekend with the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force.

On March 10, 2014, detectives met with the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office to present their case for filing consideration. Detectives also provided the DA’s Office with new information, which developed over the weekend, prompting them to request California Highway Patrol issue an Amber Alert.

On March 10, 2014, around 2:20 p.m., the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force located both Nicholas and Sri Johnston in the 2700 block of Vista Way, in Oceanside, California. Sri Johnston was taken into custody. Nicholas Johnston will be reunited with his father later today.

Sri Ann Johnston was booked on a kidnapping warrant and is being held at the Long Beach City Jail on $500,000 bail.

The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information regarding this incident should contact Long Beach Child Abuse Detective Rodney Brown at (562) 570-7321. Anyone wishing to remain anonymous may call 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), or text TIPLA plus your tip to 274637 (CRIMES), or visit www.LACrimeStoppers.org .