A McHenry man was arrested in Lake Villa on Tuesday after he allegedly kidnapped a 2-year-old child from Marengo, police said.
Dvino E. Thomas, 34, of the 4500 block of Garden Quarters in McHenry, was charged with child abduction, a Class 3 felony.
The Marengo Police Department responded around 5:40 a.m. Tuesday to a report of a domestic dispute at a residence in the 1000 block of Briden Drive, according to Marengo Police Department Sgt. Andrew Kjellgren said.
Lake County Sheriff Spokesman Sgt. Christopher Covelli said that Thomas had been visiting with a 2-year-old child, who he is possibly the father of but does not have parental rights.
Thomas was supposed to bring the toddler back to the child’s mother. He arrived to the mother’s home and the two began to argue, Covelli said.
Instead of returning the toddler to her mother, Thomas took the young girl and fled the scene in his vehicle. The mother called 911 to report the incident.
The Marengo Police Department issued a regional police broadcast around 6:30 a.m. to area police agencies.
Members of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Warrants Team were familiar with Thomas because they had previously arrested him, Covelli said, adding that deputies began searching areas where Thomas previously frequented in Lake County.
Deputies located Thomas’ vehicle at Grass Lake Road and Sunset Drive near Antioch around 11 a.m.
“Thomas likely recognized the Warrants Deputies’ vehicles because he quickly left Grass Lake Road and turned onto a residential street while increasing his speeds,” Covelli said.
Warrants deputies were able to successfully surround and stop Thomas’ vehicle in the area of Monaville Road and Avon Drive in unincorporated Lake Villa.
He was taken into custody and the toddler was located safe inside the vehicle. Thomas remains held in the McHenry County Jail pending an initial court hearing.
Thomas was previously charged in 2016 with aggravated kidnapping in unincorporated Spring Grove. He was released from prison in January and is currently on mandatory supervised released.