WILSON COUNTY, Tenn. (WTVF) — Authorities in Tennessee were after a non-custodial father accused of kidnapping his infant son, and it took drastic measures to stop a van on the run.
Exclusive video to NewsChannel 5 showed how the baby was rescued from the middle of a Tennessee interstate as the result of an Endangered Child Alert.
The chase involving that U-Haul van began in Nashville and ended just outside Lebanon after Wilson County Sheriff's deputies put down spike strips.
The video shows just moments after the U-Haul van — its tires blown — came to a stop in the middle of the interstate just after 11 p.m. this past Tuesday.
"We successfully deployed spike strips and knocked out the tire," said Sheriff's Captain Scott Moore.
He said the chase began in Nashville.
Authorities were after Daniel Boland — a non-custodial father accused of kidnapping his 2-month-old son.
He and Brandy Lee Burns — who was driving — were spotted by authorities and the two took off.
Once stopped, sheriff's deputies moved in quickly on the van.
Burns immediately surrendered.
Then Boland is ordered to get out of the van. With him in custody, officers then noticed two dogs jump from the van.
"Hey grab that dog. Grab them so we don't get them run over," said a deputy.
But where was the baby?
There was no sign of him where his father sat in the front of the van.
Desperate, deputies searched.
"They found the 2-month-old in the very back with no child restraints. Nothing to secure the baby," said Captain Moore.
A deputy is seen carrying the infant in a blanket from the van.
The child had been loose on a mattress in the back with the dogs — thankfully unharmed.
"It's disturbing and inexcusable," said Moore. "Just to put a 2-month-old child in that situation is so reckless it is hard to understand."
The infant was rescued safely and so were the dogs.
Both were captured and taken for care at a shelter.
Boland and Burns are booked into the Wilson County Jail on a variety of charges.
They also have outstanding warrants in other counties.
