Northwood woman wanted in son’s kidnapping arrested in Florida

Benjamin Jones - missing 15 month old taken by non-custodial parent Tabbetha Rupert. Amber Alert in Northwood,OH.

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Benjamin Jones - missing 15 month old taken by non-custodial parent Tabbetha Rupert. Amber Alert in Northwood,OH.

A Northwood woman is in custody in Florida after being arrested in the abduction of her 15-month-old son.

Tabbetha Rupert, 26, was arrested by the Orange County Sheriff’s department on Friday afternoon, just hours after an Amber Alert was issued for her son, Benjamin Jones.

Ms. Rupert spent Thursday night at the Northwood home of Benjamin’s grandmother, Lisa Pendergraff, who has custody of the boy. When Ms. Pendergraff woke up Friday morning, Benjamin and Ms. Rupert were gone.

When issuing the Amber Alert, police said Ms. Rupert had connections in Florida and that is where they suspected she had fled with her son.

Before her arrest, a bond of $25,000 was set and charges for interfering with custody were pending, police said.