5 Critical Facts About The Dior Gooch Amber Alert In Columbia Heights And The Mother's Legal Fate

The Columbia Heights community was recently gripped by a terrifying, high-stakes search for a missing infant, an event that triggered a statewide Amber Alert and mobilized law enforcement across Minnesota. This critical incident, which took place in late 2024/early 2025, involved the reported abduction of a three-week-old baby, highlighting the immediate power and necessity of the emergency alert system in child recovery cases. On this day, December 17, 2025, the case of Dior Gooch remains a significant reminder of the fragility of child safety and the complex issues of legal guardianship.

The swift activation of the alert by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) and the subsequent coordinated effort between the Columbia Heights Police Department and the public led to a positive resolution in a matter of hours. The event, which centered on a custody dispute, quickly became a major news story, raising critical questions about family dynamics and the legal measures in place to protect vulnerable children. The following breakdown provides the most comprehensive and up-to-date details on the incident, the people involved, and the legal aftermath.

Key Individuals in the Columbia Heights Amber Alert Case

The core of the Amber Alert centered on two individuals, a three-week-old infant and the adult who allegedly took her from her legal guardian's home. The details surrounding their identities and relationship are crucial to understanding the context of the abduction and the subsequent police response.

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• Name of Missing Child: Dior Gooch
• Age at Time of Incident: 3 weeks old
• Gender: Female
• Race: Black
• Distinguishing Features: Black hair, approximately 19 inches long, weighing about 7 pounds.

• Name of Alleged Abductor/Mother: Ashley Marie Gooch
• Age at Time of Incident: 37 years old
• Residence: Columbia Heights, Minnesota
• Physical Description: Approximately 5 feet, 5 inches tall, weighing 160 pounds, with brown eyes and black hair.
• Relationship to Child: Biological Mother. The infant was under the care of a legal guardian at the time of the incident, indicating an existing custody or child protection issue.

1. The Trigger: A Custody Dispute and Threat of Violence

The Amber Alert was initiated following a report of an abduction from a private residence in Columbia Heights. Dior Gooch was in the care of a legal guardian, a detail that immediately elevated the concern for the infant's safety. The alleged abductor, 37-year-old Ashley Marie Gooch, who is the child's biological mother, reportedly took the infant from the guardian's home.

Crucially, authorities reported that Ashley Gooch allegedly threatened violence toward the guardian during the confrontation. This threat, combined with the infant's extremely young age and the violation of a guardianship arrangement, met the stringent criteria required for a statewide Amber Alert activation. The severity of the situation—a newborn taken by a non-custodial parent who made threats—underscored the urgency of the response.

2. The Statewide Search and Key Suspect Details

Once the alert was issued by the Columbia Heights Police Department and disseminated by the BCA, it saturated all available public channels, including mobile phones, highway signs, and media broadcasts. The alert provided crucial details to the public, turning every citizen into a potential search partner. The mother, Ashley Gooch, was described as last seen pushing a stroller near University Avenue in Columbia Heights, a major thoroughfare in the area.

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The immediate and widespread distribution of the infant’s photo and the mother's description was instrumental in the rapid resolution. This instance perfectly demonstrated the effectiveness of the emergency alert system, which is designed to provide maximum exposure in the critical first few hours following a child abduction.

3. The Resolution: Dior Gooch Found Safe in Minneapolis

The high-anxiety search came to a positive conclusion just hours after the alert was activated. Authorities were able to locate both the infant and Ashley Gooch at a residence in Minneapolis, a neighboring city to Columbia Heights. The child, Dior Gooch, was found safe and unharmed, a relief that was immediately communicated to the public via a cancellation of the Amber Alert.

The quick recovery was a testament to the collaborative effort between the public, who responded to the call for information, and multiple law enforcement agencies. The focus of the police shifted immediately from a search-and-rescue operation to a criminal investigation and a review of the child's long-term welfare.

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4. Legal Aftermath: Arrest and Pending Charges

Upon being located in Minneapolis, Ashley Marie Gooch was immediately taken into custody. While the initial police reports confirmed her arrest, the specific, immediate reason was an outstanding warrant unrelated to the abduction itself. However, the Columbia Heights Police Department and the Anoka County prosecutor's office made it clear that additional, severe charges related to the abduction were pending.

The legal focus following the safe recovery shifted to the following key areas:

• Abduction-Related Charges: Potential charges for kidnapping or deprivation of parental rights were expected to be filed against Ashley Gooch.
• Child Protective Services (CPS) Involvement: Due to the nature of the abduction and the existing guardianship arrangement, CPS was heavily involved to ensure the permanent safety and welfare of Dior Gooch.
• Guardianship Review: The court was expected to revisit the legal guardianship of the infant, likely leading to more permanent protective measures for the child.

5. The Broader Context of Child Safety and Amber Alerts

The Columbia Heights incident serves as a powerful case study on the effectiveness of the Amber Alert program in the Twin Cities metro area. It highlighted not only the speed of the law enforcement response but also the importance of public awareness regarding custody issues. When a child is removed from the care of a legal guardian, especially with threats of violence, the situation is treated with the highest level of urgency.

The case involving Dior Gooch and Ashley Gooch underscores the complex legal and emotional landscape of family custody battles. Entities like the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) emphasize that while abductions by strangers are rare, abductions by family members, particularly in situations of non-custodial parents, are more common and often involve underlying domestic issues. The successful, rapid resolution in Columbia Heights is a crucial affirmation of the system's design to protect the most vulnerable members of the community.

If you have any information related to this or any other child safety concern in the area, you are urged to contact the Columbia Heights Police Department directly.