A one-year-old girl who was taken by her father from her Gold Coast unit after a violent argument with her mother has been found safe and well in Brisbane, police said.
An amber alert was issued late yesterday afternoon after Jacob Longabardi, 45, took the toddler, leaving the unit on Queen Street, Southport, with no phone or access to money.
South Eastern Regional Crime Coordinator Superintendent Brendan Smith said the mother was not initially worried but when the pair did not return after half an hour or so, she became worried and an amber alert was issued.
Superintendent Smith said although Mr Longabardi lives at the address, he had a history of being homeless and transient.
He said Mr Longabardi had not made threats against the child and officers were more concerned the child was out in the rain overnight.
"They were on foot, they haven't got any phones, they haven't got any access to money," Superintendent Smith said earlier today.
"She [the mother did not] think he would intentionally hurt the child."
Officers searched parks, transport hubs, and hospitals, and reached out to the Gold Coast's homeless network.
They also scoured CCTV overnight.
The child was found in Greenslopes, in Brisbane's south, this morning.
