Public Media from Michigan State University

Man arrested in suburban Detroit but toddler still missing

Wynter Cole-Smith was reported missing from the Lansing area at approximately 11:30 p.m. on July 2, 2023
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A man accused of kidnaping a Lansing toddler was arrested Monday in suburban Detroit but the girl was not with him, police said.

Authorities were searching for 2-year-old Wynter Smith, a Black child with braided hair who was wearing a white shirt with rainbows.

The 26-year-old man was arrested in St. Clair Shores after a chase and crash, police said.

Wynter's mother told Lansing police that the man, whom she knows from a previous relationship, took her daughter and her car Sunday. The 22-year-old woman was treated at a hospital for stab wounds.

“This is a very urgent situation,” Lansing police said on Twitter early Monday.

An Amber Alert was sent about 2 a.m. The FBI has joined the search for Wynter.

“The FBI is committed to assisting in missing person cases like these, especially when requested by law enforcement partners," the agency said.

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