Phone Showed Missing Mom In Aurora Amid Search For Baby: Sheriff

AURORA, IL — The 34-year-old Emily Johnson and her 3-month-old baby boy, Silas Iennarella, have been located hours after the Grundy County Sheriff's Office issued a press release regarding their disappearance.

"We appreciate the assistance from the public," the agency posted. "The child will be turned over to the father and the investigation into the incident will continue."

Hours earlier, the sheriff's office asked for the public's assistance in locating the woman and her child. A phone location search Wednesday showed Johnson to be in Aurora, but she and her son had yet to be located, officials had said.

The incident began around 3 p.m. Wednesday, when Grundy County sheriff’s deputies were made aware of an order of protection and a separate court order that needed to be served at a residence on West Southmor Road in unincorporated Morris.

The orders had been issued by a judge in Kendall County and were to be served on Johnson, including an order that baby Silas was to be turned over to the custody of the child's father, who lives in Yorkville.

Deputies responded to the address and spoke to the infant's grandmother, who told police that Emily and Silas were not there and no longer lived there, the sheriff's office said. Deputies were invited inside and verified that Emily or Silas were not inside.

At around 7 p.m., police say deputies were contacted by the baby’s father, who said he was now receiving concerning text messages from Johnson that were suicidal in nature.

The messages also showed that Johnson was aware of the order of protection that was issued, according to police.

Out of concern for both the mother's and baby's safety, Morris police conducted a phone location search that placed her in Aurora. However, when the Aurora Police Department was contacted and provided with the address of a relative to look into in their city, the people there did not cooperate with officers.

Grundy County deputies have entered both Emily and Silas into LEADS (Law Enforcement Agencies Data System) as "missing/endangered."

The Illinois State Police were also contacted about issuing an AMBER Alert, but it did not meet the criteria. However, an Endangered Missing Person Advisory Alert was activated at the Grundy County Sheriff's Office's request.