Cousin bonds out of jail after 1-month-old from Amber Alert found safe
AUSTIN (KXAN) — A 1-month-old has been found safe and is now with Child Protective Services, according to the Austin Police Department.
Brandy Galbert, the mother’s cousin was taken into custody Monday and faces a felony charge of interfering with the custody of a child. She bonded out of jail by Tuesday morning and APD is still looking for the baby’s mother, Brittany Smith.
Austin Police issued a statewide Amber Alert earlier on Monday for a missing 1-month-old baby taken by a family member from the hospital three days after being delivered.
Officials believed the child, Elijah Phillips, was in grave or immediate danger.
Family members said Galbert brought Elijah to the Safe Alliance shelter in southeast Austin Monday evening.
The shelter then called Austin police, and CPS took Elijah into custody, according to family.
Galbert was booked into the Travis County jail on a $5,000 bond.
Police are still looking for Smith, in connection with his abduction. Smith is black, 30 years old, 5’2″, 220 lbs. with black hair, brown eyes and a tattoo on her left arm.
Police are also looking for the child’s father, Carl Hayden. Hayden is black, 37 years old, 5’10” and 125 lbs. with black hair and brown eyes.
According to police, the baby’s mother checked into Ascension Seton Northwest Hospital and gave birth to her son on July 19.
Police say Smith gave a fake name when she was admitted to the hospital. She gave them her cousin’s name, Galbert. She also told the hospital Galbert was actually her sister. She gave permission for her baby to leave the hospital with a family member three days after he was born. She gave Elijah to Galbert on July 23 and neither has been seen since.
On July 24, a day after Elijah was taken from the hospital, Child Protective Investigations issued a court order to remove the child from Smith’s custody. According to police, Smith has a history with CPS in cases with other children.
Police initially said the family could be in the Austin or Killeen areas.