The mother of the man accused of taking his 2-year-old daughter from her maternal grandmother says the incident was a misunderstanding.

"It is just that one misunderstanding leads to so many things," says the mother of 21-year-old Christian Benitez.

Police say Benitez took his 2-year-old daughter, Seniya Benitez, from her maternal grandmother's home Tuesday night despite not being allowed to care for her unsupervised.

The grandmother, Maria D'Amore, has custody of the toddler but Benitez was looking after her while D'Amore was in the hospital.

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D'Amore says the two got into an argument when she got home, which escalated into Benitez taking the 2-year-old.

"He is a great father to that girl and he was never going to harm her," Benitez's mother says. "She loves her dad, she loves him to pieces and he loves her too."

Seniya is now in foster care.

Benitez was charged with reckless endangerment and custodial endangerment. He turned himself in to police Wednesday.

Benitez's mother says he cooperated with authorities.