Update
The FBI announced Tuesday that a $25,000 reward is being offered for anyone who provides information that leads to the whereabouts of 2-year-old Wynter Smith.
Previous Coverage
Police continue to for 2-year-old Wynter Smith, a girl reportedly abducted Sunday by a man who stabbed her mother before fleeing.
On Monday, Lansing police confirmed on Facebook that despite online speculation, Wynter has not been found yet. She was last seen on the south side of Lansing around 11:30 p.m. on July 2, wearing a white t-shirt with rainbows.
“As our officers have been going from door to door and we’ve been talking to the community, we’ve been hearing from a lot of people who thought that 2-year-old Wynter Smith has been found,” Lansing police said. “Unfortunately, that is not true. We are actively looking for Wynter.”
As CrimeOnline previously reported, at around 5:50 a.m. Monday morning, police arrested Rashad Trice, 26, in St. Clair Shores, in connection with the kidnapping. Wynter was not with Trice and he has reportedly refused to cooperate with investigators.
Wynter’s grandmother, Sharen Eddings, told ClickonDetroit that he’s the ex-boyfriend of Wynter’s mother. Eddings added that Trice stabbed the child’s mother before kidnapping the tot.
Lansing police confirmed that they were called to a home off Beau Jardin Drive, where they found a 22-year-old woman with stab wounds and “signs of assault,” the Lansing State Journal reports.
“When he stabbed her, from what I understand from her sister, she was able to stab him back right, wound him back,” Eddings said. “That’s when he grabbed Wynter and threatened to harm her, and that’s when he left.”
Meanwhile, police are asking the public to be on the lookout for Wynter, specifically around Interstate 96 (see map below).
Wynter is described as a Black female with braided, shoulder-length hair. She was last seen wearing a white shirt with rainbows on it.
Anyone with information on Wynter’s whereabouts can submit tips to http://tips.fbi.gov or contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI. You can also contact Lansing police at 517-483-4600 or CrimeStoppers at 517-483-7867.
Check back for updates.
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[Feature Photo: Police Handout]
