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Van Nuys Dad Makes Plea For Return Of Baby Boy

LOS ANGELES (CBS) — Police across Southern California and authorities at the U.S. border Sunday sought a 19-year-old woman who allegedly abducted her 13-month-old son.

Wendy Cervantes, who has no legal right to Bryan Bazan, picked up the child for a visit about 7 p.m. Wednesday and was supposed to return him to his father by 6 a.m. Saturday, police said.

Police said the father, 23-year-old Elim Bazan, went to the woman's Van Nuys home and it was empty.

"She knows better that this is not the way. It's not good for her or for the baby or for myself… and she knows what kind of father I am," Bazan said at a news conference Saturday.

Sgt. Mathew Jacobik told a local television news station that Cervantes has close family ties living in Guadalajara, where it's believed she may have taken Bryan.

"She has talked about that for over a year. We've been together for almost three years and on several occasions she mentioned that she would just leave to Mexico with the baby," Bazan said.

Police believe Cervantes may have been trying to skip out on a domestic violence hearing set for Monday. She's accused of throwing a remote control and flashlight at the baby's father, which struck Bryan on the forehead leaving a bruise.

Cervantes is described as a Hispanic female with brown hair and green eyes. She is 5'1 and weighs 170 pounds.

Anyone with more information is asked to contact the Van Nuys Station at (818) 374-9500.

(©2011 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)

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