Missouri Amber Alert Issued After 1-Year-Old Girl Taken in St. Louis Vehicle Theft Sunday Night

ST. LOUIS — A Missouri Amber Alert was issued Sunday night after a suspect stole a vehicle with a 1-year-old child inside in the city of St. Louis, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

The theft occurred at approximately 10:40 p.m. in the 800 block of South Broadway in St. Louis. The vehicle was last seen traveling eastbound on Walnut Street from Memorial Drive, according to authorities.

Details on the missing child

The child taken in the theft has been identified as Emiliana Gonzalez, age 1. She was last seen wearing a gray onesie with black shorts, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

The suspect

Police are searching for a suspect identified as Joseph Nickell, who reportedly goes by the nickname "Jojo." He is described as approximately 35 to 45 years old, about 6 feet tall, with dark hair and a light mustache. Nickell was last seen wearing a nude or tan shirt, dark blue jeans and Nike shoes, according to authorities.

Vehicle description

The stolen vehicle is described as a blue 2015-2023 Dodge Charger featuring two white stripes over the hood. The vehicle carries an Illinois temporary registration tag and an Illinois license plate, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

What to do if you have information

Anyone with information about the whereabouts of Emiliana Gonzalez, the suspect Joseph Nickell, or the stolen blue Dodge Charger is urged to contact local law enforcement or the Missouri State Highway Patrol immediately. Amber Alerts are activated in cases where law enforcement determines a child is believed to be at serious risk of injury or death, and rapid public awareness has historically played a significant role in helping locate missing children quickly following abductions connected to vehicle thefts.

About the Amber Alert system

The Amber Alert system, used nationwide across the United States, allows law enforcement agencies to rapidly distribute urgent bulletins regarding child abductions through emergency alerts sent to mobile phones, broadcast interruptions on television and radio, electronic highway signs, and various online and social media platforms. The system is designed to enlist the public's help in the immediate aftermath of a child abduction, when the chances of safely recovering a missing child are considered highest.

Missouri's Amber Alert program is coordinated through the Missouri State Highway Patrol in partnership with local police departments, broadcasters and other public safety agencies across the state.

An evolving situation

As of early Monday morning, authorities had not announced the recovery of the child or the vehicle, and Nickell's whereabouts remained unknown. Law enforcement agencies across the St. Louis region, along with authorities in neighboring Illinois given the vehicle's Illinois registration, are expected to continue actively searching for the vehicle and the missing child.

This is a developing situation, and details including the child's condition, any updates to the suspect description, and information on the vehicle's location may change as the investigation continues. Residents in the St. Louis metropolitan area and surrounding communities, including areas across the Mississippi River in Illinois, are encouraged to remain alert for the described vehicle and to contact 911 immediately if they believe they have spotted it, rather than attempting to intervene directly.

Community response

Missouri Amber Alerts are typically accompanied by widespread public engagement, with local news outlets, social media users and community members frequently sharing alert details in hopes of generating tips that can assist investigators. Given the vehicle's distinctive features — including the dual white stripes and out-of-state Illinois plates on a car otherwise traveling within Missouri — authorities may be relying heavily on public vehicle sightings to help narrow the search.

Fox 2 St. Louis, which first reported on the alert, indicated it would continue providing updates as new information becomes available from law enforcement.

This is a live public safety alert involving a missing child, so the details above are limited strictly to what has been officially confirmed by the Missouri State Highway Patrol as of this writing — nothing has been added or speculated beyond the confirmed facts. If you're in the St. Louis area and believe you've seen the vehicle, child or suspect described, please contact 911 immediately rather than waiting for further reporting.