A father who secretly took his nine-week-old son from a south Canberra house and remains on the run does not face criminal charges, police say.
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Garry Gordon, 25, sparked a massive police search after he allegedly removed the baby from a house in O'Malley about 5.40am on Sunday. The baby was reported found safe in NSW on Sunday night.
Police initially treated the incident as an abduction, but later said it was being treated as a "check welfare".
Police were still searching for Mr Gordon.
Sergeant Harry Hains said Mr Gordon was the child's biological father and there were no court orders in place which would prohibit him from seeing the child.
He said the father was "distressed" and could have driven interstate.
It is understood he was estranged from the baby's mother, who is currently in hospital, and that the child was in the care of his grandparents when he was taken without their knowledge.
Sergeant Hains said the baby's welfare was the biggest concern for police and an "extensive" search was underway across the ACT.
"We are concerned for a nine-week-old baby and the best way for this to be resolved is for him to go immediately to a police station and to present the child there for examination."
"He has contacted police and he has contacted relatives, however those calls have been terminated.
"Obviously a nine-week-old infant requires specialist care requires regular feeding, requires warmth, it requires nappy changes.
"We don't know if Mr Gordon has the ability or the resources to look after that baby and that's one of the aspects we'd like to discuss with him if he'd contact us."
Sergeant Hains said the baby didn't have any known medical conditions which would require medication or treatment.
Police are still investigating whether Mr Gordon broke into the house and whether his actions were pre-planned.
Mr Gordon is described as 193 centimetres tall and about 140 kilograms. He has short, curly red hair and wore a dark coloured hoody jumper.
He could be driving a 1993 grey Ford Falcon Sedan with registration YEB47J. He could also be travelling a in white 2001 Mitsubishi Solaris with registration YBR67P.
Police haven't been contacted by any members of the public by Sunday afternoon and urged who might have seen Mr Gordon to phone 131 444.