ZEBULON — Police in Emporia, Va. arrested a man and rescued his common-law wife and her daughter after police here issued an amber alert for the child.

Zebulon police Chief Tim Hayworth said officers here responded to a report of a kidnapping on Industrial Drive.

Officers met a woman there who said her sister, Madgalena Manila Tolentino, 24, of Eagle Ridge Drive, Zebulon, and Tolentino’s one-year-old daughter had been kidnapped by Tolentino’s common-law husband, Javier Patlan Zamora.

Police later learned that Zamora, 33, of Debro Road, Kenly, was wanted on statutory rape charges in Nash County and had arranged to meet Tolentino in Zebulon to get some cash before leaving the state.

According to Hayworth, when the meeting took place, Zamora made Tolentino and the child get in the car and left the scene.

The amber alert was put out about 10 p.m. Wednesday, about 40 minutes after the kidnapping was reported.

A witness reported seeing Zamora’s car on Interstate 95 near Gold Rock in Nash County later Wednesday night.

Zamora’s car was stopped in a traffic stop in Emporia about 2:30 a.m. Thursday, and police arrested him.

No one was hurt in the incident and Zebulon detectives drove to Emporia last night to retrieve Tolentino and her daughter.

Zamora is in the Emporia jail awaiting extradition to Nash County on the statutory rape charge.

Charges have not yet been filed in connection with the kidnapping. Hayworth said the family may be illegal immigrants and they have not been cooperative with police.

Still, Hayworth credits the amber alert system with helping resolve the case quickly.

“We were able to put the amber alert out and in just a few hours we found them. That’s the way it’s supposed to work,” Hayworth said.