CAYCE, S.C. — The Cayce Department of Public Safety has charged a suspect in connection with Tuesday's kidnapping that triggered an Amber Alert.
Cayce Department of Public Safety Chief Byron Snellgrove said Wednesday night that Shyheem Malik Phillips has been charged with vehicle theft and kidnapping.
"Last night he stole a car at one of our Cayce businesses and in doing so, he took an innocent 2 year old little girl," Snellgrove said in a statement.
Officers say the suspect stole a car with 2-year-old and her family dog inside Tuesday night from outside of the Quality Inn at 3020 Charleston Highway. Police put out information to the media to help find her, and eventually an Amber Alert was issued.
At approximately 12:04 a.m. Wednesday, the girl and the puppy were found safe inside the vehicle -- a 2003 Lexus Sedan 300 -- which had been abandoned by the suspect near Happy Town Road and Fallaw Road in the Gaston area.
Officers had released a surveillance video that showed the moments up to and including when the car was stolen.
"I’m proud of our Department," Snellgrove said. "Our officers acted swiftly, followed every lead and investigated every detail. And I’m grateful for a caring community and the media who shared the information that helped us identify the suspect. We were able to quickly remove the person suspected of these crimes from the streets of Cayce and Lexington County."
Anyone with information in the case is asked to contact the Cayce Department of Public Safety at 803-794-0456 or information can be reported anonymously by visiting http://www.midlandscrimestoppers.com/ or calling 1-888-CRIME-SC.