An Amber Alert is still active for 5-month-old Katherine Phillips. She was last seen on June 29 with a man who is believed to be her father, Sean Phillips. Mason County prosecutors charged Phillips with kidnapping and held him on a $500,000 bond.
At this point, he will not say where Katherine, also known as “Baby Kate’s” location. Over the last few weeks, numerous searches took place, but none have led to the Katherine.
Baby Kate is only 2 feet tall, 12 pounds with blue eyes and light hair. She was last seen wearing pink shorts and a pink tank top with black and pink flowers.
Investigators would also like to speak with anyone who saw Sean Michael Phillips during the hours of 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. Phillips may have been at the Wendy’s near the Birch Lake Apartments during those hours.
Photos courtesy of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
This strange story unraveled just after Thanksgiving when three little boys went missing about 75 miles southwest of Detroit. Their father, John Skelton, 39, told police he handed his children, 5-year-old Tanner, 7-year-old Alexander and 9-year-old Andrew off to a woman named Joann Taylor. In December, Skelton said he gave the children to someone from “an organization.”
Skelton appeared again in court Friday, this time for a hearing relating to his divorce. The judge asked Skelton if he was prepared to turn the boys over to their mother, and Skelton answered, “I can’t.” Investigators have said they are not expecting a positive outcome in this case.
1) Who reported the children missing? The boys were reported missing by their mother, Tanya, the day after Thanksgiving when their father didn’t return them home.
2) Does the mystery woman exist? Police say there’s a good chance “Joann” does not exist, even though Skelton claims he met her on the Internet four years ago. Skelton also claims he tried to commit suicide before handing the children off, but authorities are doubting that story as well.
Photos courtesy of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
This strange story unraveled just after Thanksgiving when three little boys went missing about 75 miles southwest of Detroit. Their father, John Skelton, 39, told police he handed his children, 5-year-old Tanner, 7-year-old Alexander and 9-year-old Andrew off to a woman named Joann Taylor.
1) Who reported the children missing? The boys were reported missing by their mother, Tanya, the day after Thanksgiving when their father didn’t return them home.
2) Does the mystery woman exist? Police say there’s a good chance “Joann” does not exist, even though Skelton claims he met her on the Internet four years ago. Skelton also claims he tried to commit suicide before handing the children off, but authorities are doubting that story as well.
3) Where is Skelton now? Skelton is currently behind bars and is held on a $30-million bond. His next arraignment is scheduled for Jan. 5.
4) What charges is he facing? Skelton is facing kidnapping charges. He had a hearing this week and waived his right to a preliminary exam. This means he will go straight to trial on those charges of parental kidnapping.
The man suspected of stabbing 18 victims and trying to flee from the country was taken down Wednesday night at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Elias Abuelazam, 33, was booked on a Delta flight for Israel when a tip developed into a strong lead that put investigators hot on his trail. As he was waiting to get on his plane, Abuelazam was taken down around 10 p.m. I spoke with Lt. Gene Kapp of the Michigan State Police and he said since Monday they’ve received 600 tips in this case, one of which turned out to be an excellent lead. Abuelazam had his first hearing today and will not fight extradition to Michigan to face one inital charge of assault with intent to murder for a July 27, 2010 incident.
Lt. Kapp realizes that if the tip had come in just a few hours later, the alleged suspect may have been on the flight across the world. “Everyone was working hard to place him there, and the fact that we had the contacts and the communications with the federal agencies to move that quick to make the apprehension for us,” added Kapp.
Update:An arrest was made over night for a man believed to be responsible for stabbing 20 victims from Michigan to Virginia. The suspect is currently being held in Atlanta on unrelated charges as investigators begin to put the case against him together… Stay tuned for more.
A nationwide manhunt is underway for a suspect who is targeting and stabbing men. Investigators believe the suspect has attacked victims in Michigan, Virginia, and now Ohio. Out of the 16 attacks in Flint, Michigan, five have died. In Leesburg, Virginia police say that on August 3, 5, and 6th, three more attacks occurred. Chris Jones with the Leesburg Police told me two victims were attacked with a knife and another with a hammer. Over the weekend, yet another man was attacked in Toledo, Ohio. All of the cases have strong similarities and now investigators are looking for a Chevy S-10 Blazer, four-door, dark green with light tan color trim on the bottom. The vehicle has two large dents near the hood and could be a 1995-2000 model.
A nationwide manhunt is underway for a suspect who is targeting and stabbing men. Investigators believe the suspect has attacked victims in Michigan, Virginia, and now Ohio. Out of the 16 attacks in Flint, Michigan, five have died. In Leesburg, Virginia police say that on August 3, 5, and 6th, three more attacks occurred. Chris Jones with the Leesburg Police told me two victims were attacked with a knife and another with a hammer. Over the weekend, yet another man was attacked in Toledo, Ohio. All of the cases have strong similarities and now investigators are looking for a Chevy S-10 Blazer, four-door, dark green with light tan color trim on the bottom. The vehicle has two large dents near the hood and could be a 1995-2000 model.
I spoke with Lt. TP Johnson of the Flint Police Department and he said, “What this guy is doing is driving up to them, getting out of his vehicle, pretending to have car trouble. Or asking for assistance in some way. The victims are guilty of trying to help someone asking for help. In [sic] several occasions he’s walked up and started stabbing.”
Authorities are on the hunt for a man who is fatally stabbing African-American men after asking for their help. Out of 13 attacks, five victims have died so far and three are still in the hospital. The most recent attack was in the early morning hour’s of August 2, 2010. Investigators say 49-year-old Arnold Minor’s body was found on the city’s south side near S. Saginaw Street. A sketch of the suspect was released by investigators on Friday.
I spoke with Lt. TP Johnson of the Flint Police Department and he said, “What this guy is doing is driving up to them, getting out of his vehicle, pretending to have car trouble. Or asking for assistance in some way. The victims are guilty of trying to help someone asking for help. In [sic] several occasions he’s walked up and started stabbing.”
Domestic violence is a vicious cycle, a cycle that many victims cannot pull themselves out of because of children, their safety, or just plain fear of being alone. It appears Venus Stewart was pulling herself out of a violent relationship. She packed up her children and moved to Michigan to get away from her husband, and now she is missing. Lt. Risko with the Michigan State Police says Venus was snatched from the front yard of her parents’ home on April 26, 2010 as she went to mail a letter.
This case is one to make your stomach turn. Police in Saginaw, Michigan say a grandmother allegedly trafficked her granddaughter as a sex slave to aide her cocaine habit. Angela Blackwell, 45, is facing charges of first degree conspiracy to commit criminal sexual conduct, pandering and pimping. Police believe she was lending her 10-year-old granddaughter to Johnnie Lee Griffin, a 67-year-old truck driver, in exchange for cocaine. Blackwell’s next court appearance for a preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 30, 2010.
I spoke with Detective Sgt. Joseph Dutoi from the Saginaw Police and he says the granddaughter would visit Blackwell on the weekend. The assaults happened over asix month periodfrom last September – until February. The case was brought to light when Griffin allegedly assaulted a friend of the victim, another 10-year-old in the area. Apparently both children were in the car with Griffin when he reached back and Dutoi says, “fondles one of the girls… the girl tells her mother what happens, and the girls are forensic interviewed.” This incident occurred on March 6, 2010, and Dutoi says search warrants were executed on March 8th and 9th, Blackwell was given a polygraph on March 12, and she was then arrested on March 15th. I spoke with Bill Burke, Blackwell’s neighbor, and he says, “she had more traffic than Times Square running in and out ofher home, I didn’t put the pieces together until it was too late. When I saw what she did I couldn’t believe it, it is discraceful. She is on welfare. She doesn’t work, she was on food stamps. I didn’t know her that well. I gave her and her daughter rides when they needed it, but it began to be a habit, so I wasn’t too enthused in doing that. Sometimes, she would clean houses to earn extra money here and there.” Bill told me he knows Blackwell has two daughters, and other babies would visit on the weekends along with the 10-year-old.
Johnnie Griffin WANTED (police photo)
Investigators feel there are more victims out there, and Griffin is a dangerous predator to the community.
An arrest warrant is signed and ready to go charging Griffin with two counts of first degree and one count of second degree criminal sexual conduct with a person under the age of 13. Detective Sgt. Joseph Dutoi believes Griffin could be driving a two-tone blue pickup truck with chrome rims. If you have any information, please contact: (989) 759-1288
Michelle Sigona is a crime fighting, victims advocate extraordinaire, but for Michelle -- the good fight doesn't stop there. In her spare time, she is a volunteer firefighter -- and now, she is tackling the issues and cases that mean the most to her....
