6-year-old JoJo Morales and mother reunite in Miami 66 days after his abduction
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The abduction and return of 6-year-old JoJo Morales
A contentious divorce and custody fight between Yanet Leal Concepcion and Jorge Morales reached its nadir when Morales kept their 6-year-old son Jorge “JoJo” Morales III in violation of court orders. Father and son were taken into custody in Canada two months later.
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The anguish that began for South Miami-Dade mother Yanet Concepcion on Aug. 27 ended at Miami International Airport Tuesday night when 6-year-old Jorge “JoJo” Morales ran from his police escorts and into her arms.
“I miss you so much!” Concepcion said as she scooped up and hugged him. “How are you? You OK?”
She and other loved ones surrounded JoJo and gave him two six-packs of Matchbox toy cars. Concepcion said her son is obsessed with cars.
Concepcion told reporters: “We’re going to recreate Halloween, we’re going to recreate my birthday, which he missed both.”
She lauded her support group of loved ones, including friends who made a calendar to assure that one of them would be with her each day that JoJo was missing.
It had been 66 days since Concepcion went to a West Perrine apartment on a Saturday morning to get JoJo from his father, Jorge Morales. He was supposed to bring JoJo back to Concepcion the night before after losing his overnight visitation rights during their three-year custody battle.
Concepcion found an empty apartment — no JoJo, no Jorge Morales, no Lilliam Peña Morales, JoJo’s paternal grandmother.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police took all three into custody in New Brunswick Sunday after a woman spotted JoJo and his father in a Walmart in Moncton. Concepcion talked to the Walmart shopper who ended her parental nightmare.
READ MORE: Missing Miami-Dade child found 2,000 miles from home. Father and grandmother arrested
“We were both crying and I told her, ‘Thank you for saving my son’s life,’” Concepcion said. “She said, ‘The only thing I want is if you could update me, send me a picture on the holidays, here or there.’ I said, “Of course! I will bring you here!”
Morales, 45, and his mother, 69, likely will be charged with at least custodial interference when they’re returned to Miami-Dade County.
Concepcion believes that Morales and Peña Morales had been planning the abduction for about a year.
This story was originally published November 1, 2022 at 5:44 PM.
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