It all began Thursday morning when Katrina Harter, age 31, found out following a Schuyler County Child Protective Services investigation, that a court order was going to take her 15-day-old baby away from her and place her in the custody of a third party.

Harter and the child, Gionna Harter were resided at a home on Rock Cabin Road in Motour Falls, located three miles south  of Watkins Glen. According to the Schuyler County Sheriff’s Office, Gionna was taken under circumstances which lead police to believe that she is in imminent danger of serious physical injury and/or death.

Sheriff’s deputies from Schuyler, Wayne and Ontario Counties began searching for the woman and baby and a state-wide Amber alert was immediately put out. All the TV and radio stations began broadcasting the alert.

During the day Hater posted a video on Facebook stating she and the baby were safe.

Harter was believed to be in the Geneva area, but also had family members in Wayne County. Within hours investigators followed up on more than 100 leads in seven different counties. 

The vehicle Harter was reportedly using was found at a residence in the Town of Savannah late Thursday afternoon. Schuyler County Sheriff’s deputies announced Thursday night that both Gionna and her mother, Katrina Harter, were found in Geneva just after 8 p.m. The baby was turned over to  a third party.

 Harter is likely to be released and not charged since she had not been served the custody order from court before taking off. That may  be enough to avoid charges.

The following agencies actively assisted during the investigation: The Wayne and Ontario County Sheriff’s Office, New York State Police, Geneva Police Department, The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, New York State Department of Corrections,  and U.S. Border Patrol.