(Updated) Police: Two arrests made in kidnapping of 7-year-old in Morgan City

Two Houma women have been arrested in connection with a kidnapping of a 7-year-old child in Morgan City. The child was found safe in Houma, according to a Morgan City police news release.

—Leona Allen, 27, of Henderson Street in Houma, was arrested at 3:30 a.m. Saturday on a charge of simple kidnapping.

—Deona Jones, 29, of Edgewood Boulevard in Houma, was arrested at 3:30 a.m. Saturday on a charge of simple kidnapping.

At 9:16 p.m. Friday, officers responded to the area of Roderick Street in regard to a kidnapping. Officers arrived and learned that a 7-year-old child was removed from the home without the parent's knowledge, the release stated.

Investigators with the Morgan City Police Department Detectives Division responded to the location. With the assistance of the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff's Office, the child was located safe in Houma, police said.

The F.B.I. Joint Child Abduction Response Deployment Team was also activated along with resources from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Investigators learned that the incident was a family abduction, the release said.
Allen and Jones were developed as suspects in the investigation. Allen and the child were located together in Houma where they were transported to the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office for further investigation, police said. Investigators traveled to the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff's Office when they learned that Allen and Jones were extended family members of the child taken, the release stated.

During interviews both Allen and Jones admitted to taking the child without the mother’s permission or knowledge, police said.

The child was released to his mother and warrants were prepared for both Allen’s and Jones’ arrest. Allen and Jones were arrested and transported Terrebonne Parish Detention Center. They were transported to the Morgan City jail. The investigation is still ongoing at this time and further arrest may occur.