Madison County Sheriff Ben Stewart reports that on Thursday, Jan. 28, the Madison County Sheriff’s Office Communications Center received an “Amber Alert” at 1:30 p.m. regarding two children being unlawfully taken and believed to be in danger from the St. Petersburg Florida Police Department. The alert further described that the children were believed to be in the custody of Gigi Sandu and provided a possible description of the vehicle, occupants and the Florida License plate number.
At 3:13 p.m., the Madison County Sheriff’s Office Communications Center received relayed information from the St. Petersburg Police Department that a possible sighting of the vehicle was made on I-10 west bound in Suwannee County. Madison County Sheriff’s Office deputies were further alerted of the possible sighting and patrolled the area in an attempt to locate the vehicle. A second “Amber Alert” was received via cell phone at 4 p.m. and simultaneously the witnesses that received the cell phone alert were standing beside the suspect's vehicle. The witnesses were guests of a local motel, the Deerwood Inn, located on 157 SW Old St. Augustine Road and immediately recognized the vehicle to match that of the alert. At 4 p.m., the witnesses notified the Madison County Sheriff’s Office Communications Center, confirming the vehicle's presence at the Deerwood Inn. Deputy Goldman, who was present in the area, immediately responded with Sgt. Stout and Deputy Dewey.
Upon arrival, the deputies were directed to a motel room at which the suspect and missing children were believed to be in. Deputies knocked and the suspect opened the door, holding one of the children. The suspect then immediately turned around with the deputies following. The suspect was taken into custody without further incident and the children were safely turned over to the Florida Department of Children and Families.
The suspect was identified as Gigi Sandhu, aka Gigi Ulrich-Woodard, of St. Petersburg, Fl. Sandhu was charged by the St. Petersburg Police Department for interfering with child custody.
Madison County Deputies and Florida Highway Patrol swarm Deerwood Inn, located on Hwy 53 South in Madison, after 911 callers recognized the vehicle in an Amber Alert. The witnesses stated that they read the Amber Alert on their cell phone and recognized the vehicle in the Deerwood Inn parking lot. Deputies then took into custody the two children's non-custodial mother, Gigi Sandu.
