Amber Alert issued for missing 5-year-old Florida girl as police find back door to residence unlocked
JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA: Law enforcement in Florida are searching for a five-year-old girl who went missing after being last seen at her Jacksonville home on Tuesday, November 5 evening.
Taylor Rose Williams, 5, was not in her bedroom early Wednesday morning, according to WJXT. Authorities found the back door of the residence on Ivy Street was unlocked.
Police issued an AMBER Alert for the missing youngster Wednesday morning saying she was wearing purple and pink short-sleeved pajamas before her disappearance. “It’s very urgent that we find her as quickly as possible,” Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Chief T.K. Waters said. “We’ll work until we can’t work anymore.”
According to Waters, Taylor is considered to be in danger owing to her age.
Furthermore, the police chief said investigators are still trying to determine if Taylor left the Brentwood area home on her own or if she was abducted by somebody.
“We’re pulling out all the stops,” Waters added.
However, authorities did not find any signs of foul play at the family's home.
As of now, police and fire departments have deployed helicopters, drones, all-terrain vehicles as well as mounted officers to aid the search.
Williams' police description states she weighs around 50lbs, stands 3 feet tall, and has brown eyes and black hair.
Ken Jefferson, crime and safety analyst for News4Jax, said the use of a mounted unit in a neighborhood is "a rare event that shows you the urgency of what's going on".
He added that investigators will be looking at the adults in the home and what happened leading up to her disappearance. "Our priority right now is to pray for the safety of this child and her being found."
Police searched into the night and several community residents joined the efforts.
Kevin Weston, a neighbor who showed up to help in the search, said the progress has been rather frustrating.
"None of the stories are adding up," Kevin said. "It's just really not making sense and it's kind of bothering us."
Meanwhile, another neighbor told News4Jax she saw children's toys, but never saw a child at the home where police said Taylor was reported missing. "I haven't seen her the whole time," Brianna South said. "I knew they moved in and I saw the kids' stuff, but I never actually seen the kids."
Anyone with related information about the whereabouts of the child is urged to contact the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office at 904-630-0500 or 911.