A North Las Vegas Amber Alert issued early Thursday morning ended with relief after police located a missing 10-month-old girl unharmed and arrested her father. Authorities issued the alert hours after the now-apprehended parent took the infant from an apartment complex.
Amber Alert Goes Off In The Early Hours of Thursday
The North Las Vegas Police Department activated the Amber Alert shortly after 8 a.m. on Thursday. Officers reported that a 10-month-old girl had been taken by her father earlier that morning.
Police identified the infant as Leilani Williams, also known as Leilani Duke. Authorities said she was last seen around 1:40 a.m. near Martin Luther King Boulevard and Cheyenne Avenue. Investigators said the child’s father, 39-year-old Roderick Duke, took the baby and drove away in a blue 2017 Chrysler 200. The vehicle had an unknown license plate number.
According to Fox5 Vegas, the police issued the alert because Duke was believed to be in emotional crisis and had made threats to harm himself and the infant. Officers warned the public not to approach him and instead call authorities if he was spotted.
A Swift Update
Just hours later, authorities reported a positive outcome. By about 10 a.m., officers located the infant unharmed and safely recovered her. Duke was taken into custody without incident. In turn, the Amber Alert was officially canceled.
Officials confirmed that the baby was safe and in the care of law enforcement following the recovery. The quick resolution meant the alert lasted less than two hours after it was widely distributed across Nevada through emergency alerts and broadcast notifications.
The North Las Vegas Amber Alert issue is one of several similar incidents in Nevada that ended with children being safely recovered after authorities issued statewide emergency alerts. In March 2025, Nevada officials issued an Amber Alert after a 10-month-old baby was taken by a non-custodial parent in Fallon, east of Reno. Authorities warned that the suspect was armed and traveling in a black Ford Explorer.
Investigators located the child safely later that same day, allowing officials to deactivate the alert after several hours. Law enforcement agencies across Nevada rely on the Amber Alert system to mobilize the public quickly when children are believed to be in danger. The alerts are broadcast through mobile phones, highway message boards, radio and television broadcasts, and law-enforcement networks.
LVMPD’s Technology Goes Beyond Amber Alerts
In addition to public alerts, police departments in the Las Vegas Valley have increasingly used technology to assist in locating missing children. The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) has previously deployed drone technology during searches for missing juveniles. These drones allow officers to quickly scan large areas, including desert terrain, residential neighborhoods, and open land.
Authorities have proven that drones help investigators track individuals faster than traditional ground searches in some situations. The technology can also provide aerial footage that allows officers to identify potential locations where a missing child might be found.
