Sprint Under Fire In Missing Baby Case

Family: Co. Wouldn't Help Us Find Him, Via Cell Phone GPS In Stolen SUV

(CBS)  "Customers are not able to call and ask for GPS location," says Kathleen Dunleavy, a Sprint spokesperson. "You can imagine a dire situation where you have, let's say, a stalker or an abusive husband looking for someone, calling them with account information, password information, and getting the location of the person they may be stalking."

So, the sheriff's office called Sprint.

"Forms had to be filled out, and they had to be signed before they would release that information to us," says Riverside County Sheriff Bob Doyle. "Obviously, this was a real-time, fast moving situation and it could have been a life and death situation."

As it turned out, someone spotted the vehicle after an Amber alert was issued. Wade was still strapped in his car seat.

"When I got him back," Jason says, "it was the highest high of my entire life."

"Everybody was very lucky in this situation," Doyle observed.

Sprint says it's investigating.

In the meantime, Kauffman notes, the Cochrans have switched cell phone companies.

And county authorities are now working to change the law, so they can immediately access GPS information without all the red tape.