COLUMBUS, Ohio — An Ohio Amber Alert was issued statewide early Wednesday morning as Columbus police announced they were actively searching for a missing boy identified as 5-year-old Darnell Taylor. The suspect -- identified as his foster mother -- 48-year-old Pammy Maye, was also wanted by police.
After several days of searching, the Amber Alert was canceled early Friday morning as Columbus police announced they found a body believed to be Darnell's in Franklin County around 1 a.m. Maye was also located by Brooklyn police officers and arrested near Cleveland.
TIMELINE OF THE OHIO AMBER ALERT
WEDNESDAY, FEB. 14
3 a.m. Police receive a 911 call from a man who said his wife {Maye) woke him up and made statements that made him believe their foster child (Darnell) had been hurt. He also told police Maye left the scene in a Jeep Cherokee with Ohio license plate JIGGZII.
3:08 a.m. Officers arrived on the scene in the 900 block of Reeb Avenue and searched the residence. Darnell was not found.
3:18 a.m. Information regarding the suspect's vehicle was distributed to authorities to be on the lookout -- including the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
3:40 a.m. A detective from the Special Investigations Bureau was notified. Officers checked several addresses of Maye's family members and known friends. Neither Darnell nor Maye were located at any of those locations.
4:20 a.m. The Highway Patrol was contacted to initiate a statewide Amber Alert.
Shortly after 5 a.m. Statewide Amber Alert was activated.
5:50 a.m. The Brooklyn Police Department near Cleveland reports finding the suspect's unoccupied vehicle in their jurisdiction. Authorities search the area, but Darnell and Maye are not located.
10 a.m. Columbus police hold a press conference to announce they are still searching for both Darnell and Maye. A tip line has been established for anybody with information to call 614-645-2228.
During the press conference, Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant was asked if it's believed the child is still alive. This was her response: “We have no idea what we’re dealing with right now. That’s why we’re asking for the public’s assistance. Any information you can give us, we would greatly appreciate it.”
11:57 a.m. The Ohio State Highway Patrol released the following statement to 3News:
This morning, the AMBER Alert system was activated. We quickly identified that not all cell phones in the Columbus area received complete information. Immediate corrective actions were taken to ensure full dissemination thereafter. Despite this, our system's redundancies guaranteed that all critical information was successfully shared with safety services, law enforcement, and our media partners.
Regarding the process, below is a link to the Ohio Amber Alert website resource page where you can find the full guide book for quick reference. The Columbus Division of Police will be your primary point of contact for any questions regarding the investigation and subsequent search.
12:25 p.m. The city of Brooklyn issues a press release saying police officers impounded the suspect's vehicle after it was discovered earlier in the morning at an apartment complex. "Brooklyn officers are working alongside other law enforcement agencies in furtherance of this investigation."
3:37 p.m. Police in Columbus are asking members of the community (including Brooklyn) to "search their private property for anything that appears to be missing or is out of place." If anything is located, call the Columbus Police Department's tip line at 614-645-2228.
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THURSDAY, FEB. 15
5 a.m. It has now been 24 hours since the Amber Alert was first activated.
6:35 a.m. Newburgh Heights Police Chief John Majoy, who also serves as the board president for Cleveland missing, explains the Amber Alert process during a live interview with 3News' Carmen Blackwell.
1:30 p.m. Columbus police hold press conference saying they are still searching for both Darnell and Maye.
During the presser, police urged the residents of Northeast Ohio, specifically those in Linndale, Brooklyn, and Cleveland, to contact 614-645-2228 if they saw a 2015 Jeep Cherokee between 5-6 a.m. on Wednesday.
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FRIDAY, FEB. 16
6:52 a.m. The statewide Amber Alert is canceled just moments before Columbus police hold a press conference to provide new details in the case.
7 a.m. Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant announces that a body believed to be 5-year-old Darnell Taylor was found in Franklin County around 1 a.m. It's also confirmed that the suspect, Pammy Maye, was arrested by Brooklyn police officers near Cleveland.
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