Colombian child may not be hostage

BOGOTA, Colombia (CNN) - A 3-year-old child thought to be held hostage since his birth in the jungles of Colombia may actually be in the custody of a child-welfare agency in Bogota, Colombian officials said Monday.

The stunning news came during a press conference given by President Alvaro Uribe of Colombia after a plan to free hostages appeared to have run into serious trouble. The child showed signs of torture and mistreatment, Uribe said.

The mission to free the hostages was dubbed Operation Emmanuel for the child, thought to be the son of kidnap victim Clara Rojas, a Colombian political consultant who was kidnapped six years ago by leftist rebels with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, the Spanish acronym by which the group is known.