Police have arrested and charged a 37-year-old man accused of abducting a 2-year-old girl at the centre of an Amber Alert issued early Thursday morning.

On CTV News Toronto: Father hands over toddler at centre of Amber Alert after hour of 'negotiation' with police

Police in Brantford, Ont. said the abduction was part of a ruse orchestrated by the man to take his daughter away from her mother.

“An unknown number of people attended to the front of the entrance and when the door was answered by the mother, the estranged father broke in through the back door,” said Brantford Police Const. Shane Seibert to CTV News Kitchener.

The father then grabbed the 2-year-old and fled in a vehicle containing three other people towards Hamilton, police said in a release. Police in Hamilton searched a residence but found none of the suspects nor the child.

Brantford Police were able to communicate briefly with the suspect, but say he refused to disclose his location or return the child. It was then that the Amber Alert was issued.

The suspect’s vehicle was located around 2 a.m. along with the other three passengers, who were arrested, as police believed they were involved in the incident. The child and the suspect were not located with them.

About two hours later, Hamilton police made contact with the suspect, who handed himself over to police. The child was also located safely at that time.

The suspect has been charged with abduction of a person under 16, two counts of assault, uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm, uttering threats to destroy/damage property and break, enter and commit.

Brantford police told CTV News Kitchener they fielded a number of calls from the public upset with the Amber Alert, including 11 from one person.

“Amber Alerts do work and they’re there for a reason,” said Seibert, reiterating that “time is of the essence” when it comes to saving a child’s life.