As authorities, loved ones, and volunteers search for a 4-year old Houston girl, her stepfather is now being named a ‘person of interest’ in her disappearance.
Maleah Davis, who is on the mend from recent brain surgery, is missing after her stepfather, Darion Vence, says he was carjacked Saturday night while driving with the girl and then knocked unconscious for about 24 hours.
Initially, police said he told detectives that he walked to the hospital after being in and out of consciousness before reporting her missing. But then, officials from the Sugar Land Police Department — which is helping Houston police with the investigation — told Fox 26 Tuesday afternoon that Vence said he was dropped off, making his story inconsistent.
Here’s the stepfather’s original story via ABC 7 News:
Friday, May 3
Around 9 p.m., police say Vence told them he was on his way to pick up Maleah’s mother at Bush Intercontinental Airport when he was forced to pull over.
His 1-year-old son and Maleah were with him at the time.
“He hears a popping noise like he has a flat tire,” said detective Mark Holbrook.
Vence told police that’s when the three men got out and approached him while he was pulled over near Greens Road and Highway 59.
Vence says the men were in a 2010 blue Chevrolet crew cab pickup truck.
“One of them makes a comment saying that Maleah looks very nice, looks very sweet,” said Holbrook.
This is where police say there is a major gap in the timeline.
The family’s car, a silver Nissan Altima, was last seen driving through an intersection in Sugar Land at 2:54 p.m.
The vehicle, which he recently bought, is considered stolen. It has a Texas temporary tag of 3092G9.
According to detectives, Vence was in and out of consciousness in the back of the suspects’ truck.
Eventually, Vence says that he woke up on Saturday around 6 p.m. on the side of Highway 6, near First Colony Mall. His son was with him, but Maleah was not.
Vence says the abductors kept Maleah with them and drove off.
He told authorities he tried to wave people down for help, but no one stopped.
It’s also around this time that Vence said Maleah was last seen in the 16500 block of the Southwest Freeway.
Meanwhile, police say Maleah’s mother was waiting for Vence at the airport and did not report the family missing to police until Saturday morning after not hearing from him.
They say she ultimately got another family member to pick her up.
Sunday, May 5
By 8 a.m., an Amber Alert was issued for Maleah.
She requires constant care.
Monday, May 6
At 10:30 a.m., the Houston Police Department requested the immediate help of Texas EquuSearch to try to find Maleah.
Volunteers searching on foot and by ATV in a field in northeast Houston near Highway 59 and Greens Road. This is where Maleah’s stepdad says he was approached by the men Friday night.
“We want to start checking every single dumpster just in case,” said Texas EquuSearch’s Tim Miller. “We believe in miracles. Let’s hope we get one.”
ABC13 Eyewitness News learned the child was recently returned to her home after CPS removed her last August.
According to CPS officials, the girl and her two siblings – 5-year-old and 1-year-old boys – were removed as the agency investigated allegations of physical abuse related to her head injury.
The three siblings were brought back in February.
In an exclusive interview with ABC13 Eyewitness News, Brittany Bowens, Maleah’s mother, said it was determined a fall was the cause of the girl’s injuries.
She said she is terrified for her young daughter.
“My spirit is so broken, I feel so lost. I can’t concentrate, I can’t focus. It’s so overwhelming for me. It doesn’t seem real,” Bowens said tearfully.
Tuesday, May 7
Texas EquuSearch volunteers return to the area of Highway 59 and Greens Road to resume search on foot and by ATV.
Maleah was wearing a pink bow in her hair, a light blue zip jacket, blue jeans and gray, white and pink sneakers.
She is described as an African-American female with black hair and brown eyes. She stands 3 feet tall and weighing 30 to 40 pounds.
