Police Blotter: 2-Year-Old Was Found Alone in Woodbridge—Police Are Looking for His Mother

WOODBRIDGE, Va. – Police are searching for a woman accused of leaving her 2-year-old son unattended outside a home on Dawson Beach Road. Officers responded to the home around 9:17 p.m. on July 23 after a child was found alone and in poor condition. Authorities say the boy’s mother, 37-year-old Alexandra Anna Granruth, had arranged for someone to look after the child earlier that afternoon but never returned.

When police tried to contact Granruth, she allegedly refused to come back. The child was not injured and was released to known parties. Warrants have been issued for Granruth, who is now wanted for felony child neglect.

Here’s the full press release:

Felony Child Neglect – On July 23 at 9:17PM, officers responded to a residence located in the 4000 block of Dawson Beach Rd. in Woodbridge (22191) for a found child. The investigation revealed the victim, a 2-year-old boy, was left unsupervised for an extended period of time by his mother, identified as the accused. Earlier that afternoon, at approximately 2:00PM, the accused contacted an acquaintance who located the victim in an unkempt state unaccompanied outside of the residence. The accused initially arranged for the care of the victim until later that evening. When the accused did not return to the area, the acquaintance contacted the police. When officers attempted to contact the accused, she refused to return to the area. The victim appeared uninjured and was turned over to known parties. Following the investigation, officers obtained arrest warrants for the accused, identified as Alexandra Anna GRANRUTH. Attempts to locate the accused have been unsuccessful.

Wanted: [Photo from April 2024]
Alexandra Anna GRANRUTH, 37, of the 4000 block of Dawson Beach Rd. in Woodbridge
Described as a white female, approximately 5’9”, 165lbs., with blond hair and blue eyes
Wanted for felony child neglect

Cat Left Behind Pet Store Dumpster—Now Safe in Shelter

STAFFORD, Va. – A cat was found left behind a pet store in Stafford during the heat of summer—inside a carrier next to a dumpster with only a bag of dry food covered in ants. Stafford County Animal Control responded to the Pets Plus store on Richmond Highway on July 16 after staff found the abandoned animal.

The cat, named Arkansas, was frightened but unharmed and is now safe at the Stafford County Animal Shelter. Authorities were able to identify a suspect using surveillance footage. Warrants have been issued for animal abandonment and inadequate care.

Here’s the full press release:

Pets Plus Pet Found:
During a hot summer day, a cat was abandoned in less than favorable conditions. On July 16th, at approximately 11:26 a.m., Animal Control Officer K.L. Busch responded to Pets Plus, located at 2610 Richmond Highway, for an abandoned animal. Staff advised a cat was found abandoned behind the business. Animal Control Officer Busch arrived on scene and made contact with staff. It was discovered the cat was left in a carrier near the dumpster with nothing but a bag of dry cat food that was covered in ants. Upon locating the abandoned cat, staff brought it into the business to care for it. Despite being a bit scared, Animal Control Officer Busch confirmed the cat was unharmed. The cat, named Arkansas, was transported to the Stafford County Animal Shelter. There, it will be cared for until a resolution in the case can be reached. Using nearby security cameras, Animal Control Officer Busch was able to identify the individual who abandoned Arkansas. Yesterday, warrants for abandonment of an animal and inadequate care of an animal were obtained. Thank you Animal Control Officer Busch for your hard work in this case. The Stafford County Animal Shelter has a pet surrender program for those who can no longer adequately care for an animal.

Nearly $200K Fraud Stopped by Manassas Detectives

MANASSAS, Va. – A quick-thinking detective stopped nearly $200,000 from being stolen in a wire fraud scheme. On July 1, a Manassas resident reported their email had been hacked and a transfer of $194,120.43 was about to be sent to an unknown account.

Detectives worked with banks to freeze the transfer just in time. The case has since been referred to the U.S. Secret Service for further investigation. Manassas Police say the rapid coordination prevented major financial harm.

Here’s the full press release:

Fraud Investigation
On July 1, 2025, the Investigative Services Division received a report of fraud involving a compromised email account and an attempted unauthorized wire transfer. Detective Armas promptly initiated an investigation and determined that the victim’s email had been hacked, with $194,120.43 set to be transferred from the victim’s bank account to an unknown account. Thanks to the swift actions of Detective Armas and the critical support of Detective Urey, investigators were able to work with the financial institutions involved to halt the wire transfer before the funds were lost.
The case has since been referred to the United States Secret Service for continued investigation. The department commends both detectives for their rapid response and effective collaboration, which prevented a significant financial loss and protected the victim from further harm.

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