LOCATED SAFELY: AMBER ALERT - Taelah Yvette Smith (3) Texas
Date: May 24, 2010
A Texas City 3-year-old and her grandfather, reported missing since Saturday, were in the custody of Alvin police this morning and family members were on the way to pick them up, police said.
Information on how the pair was discovered and why they disappeared would be forthcoming, police said. Police said a resident spotted the pair in Alvin, recognizing them from an Amber Alert.
William Earl Burton, 47, and granddaughter Taelah Yvette Smith, had phoned family members about 1 a.m., Dickinson police Detective Craig Fos said.
"He allowed Taelah to speak, and she sounded fine," Fos said.
Burton did not explain why he and the child were in Houston. He asked family members to pick them up at Beechnut and Hillcroft, but the pair were gone when family arrived, Fos said.
The family later received a pay phone call from the 2200 block of Main Street in Houston, but were unable to answer because of a dead cell phone battery.
Houston police checked both areas but were unable to find the pair or the 1995 blue/gray Toyota pickup with Texas license AC2-9870 that Burton was driving.
Grandfather and granddaughter were last seen about 9:45 a.m. Saturday as they drove to a friend’s home, authorities said. An Amber Alert was issued for the toddler.
They never arrived at the friend’s home in La Marque, authorities said.
Authorities said Burton is a registered sex offender, but his arrest stemmed from a 1989 case involving a woman.
Officials said no charges are being filed at this time and the investigation will continue.
Tue May 25, 2010 6:56 am