It was not yonder star that led Fredericksburg police to the statue of baby Jesus missing from a Fredericksburg shopping center - it was social media.
Detectives said they have recovered the statue of baby Jesus, stolen from a nativity scene outside of the Central Park shopping center on the Carl D. Silver Parkway.
Police said it was a 25-year-old Spotsylvania woman that took the child statue away with his manger on Tuesday night.
According to investigators, a citizen tipped them off to the baby's whereabouts, after seeing a picture of him posted on Facebook. The woman printed out a screen grab of the page and the accompanying comments before the post was taken down, then handed the information over to police.
That tip led police to a home in Spotsylvania. After a short investigation, police were able to verify that the child figure they found in the house was indeed the missing baby Jesus.
Police said charges against the woman are still pending, and at least one other person is suspected in the crime. Spokesperson Natatia Bledsoe said that the statue of baby Jesus had been filled with 80 pounds of concrete to deter thieves, after the statue went missing in 2005. The weight of the Jesus figure means taking it away was likely a burden that required more than one person.
The investigation continues. Baby Jesus will be returned to Central Park shopping center on Friday afternoon.
