FULL VIDEO OF ALTON COUNCIL MEETING, INCLUDES FORD BEING HONORED:

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ALTON - Alton Police Chief Marcos Pulido believes in recognizing those who assist his department in heroic ways, and on Wednesday night at the Alton City Council meeting he honored Brittany Ford - with the mayor and rest of the council - for her role saving a 3-month-old after an Amber Alert in March.

Brittany’s heroic story, along with the Alton Police Department’s arrest work of a suspect, goes like this: “At 7:27 p.m. on Friday, March 26, 2021, Alton Police Department Patrol Officers responded to the 700 block of Spring Street, as it was being reported that a vehicle had just been stolen from 735 Spring St. in Alton. The Alton Police Department learned that a woman had been driving her gold, 2001, Chevrolet Venture van, and briefly went briefly inside 735 Spring St. While the woman was inside 735 Spring St., her 3-month-old son was still inside the van. When the woman walked out of 735 Spring St., she discovered her van and her infant son were missing.

The suspect was taken into custody at 4:09 p.m. Tuesday, March 30, 2021, in the area of the first block of West Delmar Ave. The suspect was determined to be in a vehicle, and he exited the vehicle and attempted to flee on foot from officers. After a foot pursuit, the suspect was taken into custody by the Alton Police Department. Alton Police Chief Pulido said the suspect was not identified, as he is a juvenile.

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An Amber Alert was issued on March 26, and Brittany's aunt woke her up about the alert. Her aunt said, “We need to go help. The two listened to the scanner where they discovered the stolen vehicle that Alton Police had found.

Chief Pulido recounted the heroic part of the story: “Brittany starts driving around the area where they found the stolen car, and as officers are at the scene where the van was stolen and detectives assist, she rolled her windows down and drove down a secluded street not commonly driven and hears something and gets out of her car. She finds this precious 3-month-old child in this little ditch.

"The child had been in this area, was cold to touch, and the baby was rushed to a hospital and rescued. We are so thankful for her. She for sure saved the baby’s life. We so much appreciate Brittany and the community involvement she performed that night.”

Gena Wilson, the child’s mother, was also in attendance at the Alton City Council meeting with the baby, now 7 months old, and showed her love and affection to Brittany for her heroic act.

A teenager has been charged in the case and is not identified because he is a juvenile.

Alton Mayor David Goins, also a former police officer, said there is no doubt Brittany saved the precious 3-month-old that night, and it almost seemed like an act of divine intervention.

"This was a priceless moment, and that is what community is all about,” Goins said about being honored. “If the baby hadn’t been found when it was who knows what would have happened. Brittany is amazing, and she did all this on her own initiative after the Amber Alert and no doubt saved the child’s life.”

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