A 2-year-old boy who was reported kidnapped overnight in the Kentwood area was found safely in the parking lot of a local business, the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office said.

An Amber Alert issued for the boy was canceled by the Louisiana State Police before 6:10 a.m. Sheriff's Office officials said the man accused of kidnapping him was in custody as of Wednesday morning.

James Casey Mercier, 49, of McComb, Mississippi, was booked on a count of aggravated kidnapping, according to the Sheriff's Office.

Hours earlier, at around 9:45 p.m. Tuesday, the toddler's mother reported being in a car with the child and Mercier. His mother said Mercier took off when she got out of the car, according to officials.

The Sheriff's Office shared news of the alleged kidnapping after 11:40 p.m. and Loui

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