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South Carolina toddler found safe in Alabama

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CHARLESTON, SC (WCSC) - An emotional Charleston Mayor John Tecklenburg confirmed Wednesday night that the toddler missing from Johns Island was found safe in Alabama.

Tecklenburg said 4-year-old Heidi Todd was rescued from an abductor in Riverside, Alabama, Wednesday afternoon.

"We give God the glory and our thanks that all our prayers have been answered, and in fact, Heidi Todd is safe in the hands of the FBI," Tecklenburg said, his voice breaking. "What could have been a day of great tragedy has turned out to be a day of great joy."

A crowd that had gathered for a vigil for the missing child erupted in cheers as Tecklenburg made the announcement.

He said a police chief in Alabama stopped a suspect and managed to get the girl out of the suspect's vehicle.

Ninth Circuit Solicitor Scarlett Wilson identified the suspect as 37-year-old Thomas Evans who is from the area and was captured in Mississippi following a chase that started in Alabama.

Wilson said Evans will face state charges of kidnapping and that federal charges from the FBI and additional charges will be forthcoming.

Authorities said they do not know whether Evans has any connection to the Todd family.

Earlier Wednesday afternoon, the Charleston Police Department had released a sketch of a man in connection to Heidi, who was taken from her home in the 2900 block of Sweetleaf Lane in the Whitney Lake subdivision on Tuesday. 

A Charleston Police Department press release states that the sketch is of an individual who was seen in the area days prior to the incident who may have seen something or have information on the suspect in the investigation. 

He is a Hispanic male estimated to be between 30 and 40 years of age, between 5'10" and 6' tall with a stocky build, black hair and brown eyes. He has a flame tattoo on his left cheek and a thunderbolt tattoo on his right cheek.

"The facial tattoos depicted are an approximation of their actual appearance," a release from the Charleston Police Department states. 

Authorities made the appeal for information after a second day of searching turned up no results. 

Authorities say child's disappearance followed home invasion

Investigators say the whole thing started as a home invasion and ended with Todd's disappearance. According to a newly released report, Todd's mother was assaulted while attempting to enter her home on Sweetleaf Lane on Tuesday. 

"During this assault, the victim's daughter, Heidi Todd, subsequently went missing," the release states.

Todd was reported missing at 5:50 p.m. on Tuesday, according to Charleston Police spokesman Charles Francis.

"There are many things that we do not know, yet, that we are still investigating, but there's one thing we know, and that is that Heidi Todd is missing, and we need everyone to be on the lookout for this young lady," Tecklenburg said.

"We're trying to unravel the entire motive, leaving no stones unturned, trying to determine exactly what occurred," Interim Charleston Police Chief Jerome Taylor said. 

Police received a call from a school Tuesday afternoon after the mother of a student failed to pick up the child. That call led police to the Todd home where they found the mother "brutally beaten" after an apparent home invasion. 

Authorities have not yet said whether the victim knew the attacker, but Taylor described him at a news briefing as an "unwanted guest." 

Tecklenburg said the mother is in fair condition after having surgery Wednesday afternoon.

Police say Todd was last seen wearing pink pants and a blue shirt.

The child's mother was able to give police only "limited information," according to Taylor. Police say she described her attacker as a skinny Hispanic man, between 25 and 30 years old with short hair and dressed in all gray.

Tecklenburg said they do not know whether Todd may have been taken away in a vehicle.

Todd was taken from her home in the 2900 block of Sweetleaf Lane in the Whitney Lake subdivision on Johns Island.

Tecklenburg said there are four other children in the family and said they are safe and sound. Two of them were in the home at the time of invasion, Tecklenburg said. 

The father is a member of the Coast Guard and was out of town on training at the time, Tecklenburg said. He immediately returned to Charleston upon learning of the situation. He is with the mother at the hospital, authorities say.

Donation doubles FBI reward offer for information that leads to child's recovery 

The FBI is offering a $10,000 reward for information that leads to the recovery of Todd. 

In addition, police said a private citizen made another $10,000 donation for information leading to Todd's recovery. 

Part of Wednesday morning's search was focused on the lake in front of the home. Two divers entered the water at approximately 10:19 a.m. Police also used sonar in the lake, which neighbors say is approximately eight to 12 feet deep.

Agents with the FBI, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division and the Department of Natural Resources are also assisting Charleston Police and Fire officials as well as rescue teams. 

The Coast Guard contributed a helicopter to Tuesday night's search. A Charleston County Sheriff's Office helicopter was spotted over the area Wednesday morning.

Tecklenburg said everything is being done to find out what happened to the child. 

“It’s a coordinated local, state and even federal hunt at this point for Heidi Todd. We are asking the public to please be on the lookout for Heidi and help us find her,” he said.

Emergency crews searched for at least nine hours in the immediate area where Todd was reported missing Tuesday night, ending the immediate initial search effort around 3 a.m. Wednesday morning before resuming the search at daylight.

A spokesperson for the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division said Wednesday morning an Amber Alert has not been issued because they do not have enough information on the adult that could be with her.

But emergency officials said alerts sent out to residents about Todd's disappearance. 

Pictures from the neighborhood showed police and fire units searching the neighborhood along with area residents late Tuesday night. In addition, divers and a helicopter were dispatched to assist in efforts to find Todd.  

Witnesses saw police tape surrounding multiple homes on Sweetleaf Lane Tuesday night and multiple emergency crews and volunteers searching the area. 

Anyone with information can call 843-743-7200 for the on-duty CPD Central Detective. SLED issued a bolo to law enforcement agencies Tuesday night according to an official with the department.

A 24-hour tip line has also been set up for citizens to report information in the case. Anyone with information can call 843-619-6123.

Copyright 2018 WCSC. All rights reserved. 

Copyright 2024 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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