Search for missing Alabama toddler continues as police say family delayed reporting it to cops
Police said the family of an Alabama toddler who was abducted from a birthday party on Saturday night delayed reporting her missing as they continue to interrogate two suspects arrested over her disappearance.
At around 8:30 pm on Saturday, Kamille McKinney, endearingly known as "Cupcake", was kidnapped outside a public housing community in Birmingham, WHNT reports. The same night, a state-wide Amber Alert was issued, before being expanded into neighboring areas.
Birmingham Police Chief Patrick Smith pointed out Kamille's family had delayed reporting her missing by several hours, reasoning that parents often delay missing reports thinking they would locate their children on their own. But he also revealed authorities still have no leads on the toddler's whereabouts despite hours of exhaustive searching.
Furthermore, Smith said the Amber Alert is being expanded to cover surrounding states as police aren't sure whether the three-year-old is still in Birmingham or in Alabama. He announced on Monday they had in custody two persons of interest from Woodside Condominiums in Center Point, after they were tipped off by locals at around 8 pm Sunday.
According to him, there are more suspects involved in the kidnapping and there's no immediate connection between persons of interest and Kamille's family.
"We will not end our command post our search until we’ve found some resolution. We are going to stay committed to locating the three-year-old baby," Police Chief Smith said in Monday's press conference. "This is something that doesn’t affect just one community, this affects the entire city. The entire state. And I think everybody wants this young baby to be found and brought back home."
The police chief revealed the suspects in custody are currently answering questions.
"We definitely remain hopeful that she's still out there and alive and we’ll get her back to her family," Smith added.
Authorities initially said a white woman and a black man may be behind Kamille's abduction. The couple was allegedly using candy to lure children and entice them.