Deputies Search for Brett Smith, Missing 12-Year-Old in Richland County
Richland County, SC (WLTX) - Richland County deputies are continuing to search for Brett Smith, a 12-year-old boy who has been reported missing.
Deputies say Brett was last seen Monday at about 1 p.m. riding his bike in his Magnolia Hall neighborhood. That bike was found seven hours later in the McDonald's parking lot on nearby Hardscrabble Road.
"Everyone that we have spoken with from school to his family to neighbors say he's happy kid," explains Deputy Monique Mack.
While distress still runs deep for Mack, investigators believe Brett will be found unharmed. They say he wasn't kidnapped, but left on his own. "We don't have any evidence that points to that he may be in danger, but of course we're concerned and of course time is of the essence," Mack says, "We have no reason to believe that he was running away for any reason, we believe that he was just trying to visit some family members."
The middle-schooler was in foster care and has family members in Aiken, where authorities think he may be headed. "Parents say he hasn't done anything like this before, so of course this is another concern of ours," Mack says.
While several state agencies, as well as national ones, have been notified of Brett's description; an Amber Alert hasn't been issued. "At this point, we have not met the criteria for an Amber Alert to be initiated in this case," says Mack. Some of those items? "For him to be in immediate and grave danger, of course," she explains, adding another, "If we believe that he was taken from a location unwillingly."
For now, deputies are working with Aiken and Brett's family there - waiting for his arrival or a least a sign that he's okay for his family here. "Of course they're concerned. They want him to return home. They're concerned for his safety," Mack says of Brett's foster family.
Smith is a white male, with brown hair, blue eyes, and is 5'5", 140 pounds.
Anyone with information should call Crimestoppers at 1-888-CRIME-SC, or e-mail a tip in to Crimestoppers of the Midlands. You can also text information in by texting "TIPSC" plus your message to CRIMES (274637). Either way you choose, your identity will remain anonymous, and you could be eligible for a cash reward.
http://www.wltx.com/news/story.aspx?storyid=83066&catid=2
Fri Jan 22, 2010 5:04 pm