An intense search for a missing 3-month-old Cleveland girl came to a conclusive end yesterday evening when authorities located Chyla Smiley and took her alleged abductor into custody. According to WKYC, the Amber Alert, issued earlier in the day, was canceled just before 9:30 p.m. after the child was found.
Initial reports described the harrowing incident, noting that the infant was last seen at a residence on Mannering Road. It was shortly before 5:30 p.m. when Chyla Smiley disappeared, purportedly taken by 28-year-old Jackeel Kemorian La Priest Taylor, who police believe to be the child's father and was seen running away with a tattoo of angel wings peering from his neck. Police detailed that the suspect allegedly assaulted the child’s grandmother before fleeing with the infant.
Cleveland Police had disseminated descriptions of the child and suspect, along with the vehicle involved—a silver 2016 Chevrolet Cruz with Ohio license plate KBJ 6919, registered to a Justice Walker of Dayton, as stated by Cleveland19. The details provided aided in a statewide alert, and the vehicle was believed to be headed northeast toward East 93rd Street and Hough Avenue.
The police's efforts, coupled with community vigilance, culminated in the safe recovery of the child and the arrest of Taylor. With the assistance of the public and after meticulous searching, the suspect was arrested soon after the child was found, averting what could have unfolded into a more tragic scenario. The latest updates from News 5 Cleveland confirm the cancellation of the statewide Amber Alert, and authorities underscored that Chyla Smiley was found unharmed.
