4-year-old girl may have been kidnapped by men in truck, police say

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Monday, May 6, 2019
Child at center of Amber Alert may have been kidnapped
Child at center of Amber Alert may have been kidnapped, police say.

SUGAR LAND, Texas -- An Amber Alert has been issued for a 4-year-old girl who was possibly taken by three men.

Maleah Davis' stepfather said she was last seen in the 16500 block of the Southwest Freeway on Saturday around 6 p.m.

HAVE YOU SEEN HER? 4-year-old girl last seen in Sugar Land.

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.

Her stepfather, Darion Vence, told police that he, his 1-year-old son and Maleah were abducted by three Hispanic men.

Houston Police Department press conference on missing 4-year-old girl

In a press conference Saturday afternoon, police said Vence was on his way to pick up Maleah's mother at Bush airport when he was forced to pull over.

"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.

Police said that's when he was hit on the head by one of the men and lost consciousness.

Vence says the abductors kept Maleah with them and drove off.

"He really doesn't know where he is until 6 p.m. on Saturday," said Holbrook.

Vence said he woke up on the side of Highway 6 near First Colony Mall. His son was with him, but Maleah was not.

Police said Vence went to Houston Methodist hospital in Sugar Land around 11 p.m. to seek treatment for his injuries with his son.

Meanwhile, police say Maleah's mother was waiting for Vence at the airport and did not report the family missing to police.

They say she ultimately got another family member to pick her up.

Maleah's mother tells ABC13 Eyewitness News they called police Saturday morning to file a report because they were concerned after not hearing from Vence.

The family's car, a silver Nissan Altima, was last seen driving through an intersection in Sugar Land at 2:54 p.m. on Saturday.

"We're hoping the public can give us any information about anybody who has seen Darion during that period of time because he doesn't really know where he was or what's going on there," said Holbrook.

Investigators have spoken with Maleah's biological father and he is cooperating with police.

Monday morning, a group of volunteers will be at Sugar Land Town Square to hand out fliers in hopes they can help find Maleah.

"The world doesn't stop for your child, unfortunately. So you have to get out there, get their face out there, because people don't know. A lot of people we were passing out the fliers were like, 'Oh, we haven't heard of it. We heard the Amber Alert, but it didn't have any information," said Dominique Bryant, a friend of Maleah's mother.

Holbrook said they are also concerned because Maleah has had several brain surgeries and requires a lot of care.

Anyone with information on Maleah Davis' whereabouts is urged to contact HPD at 713-308-3600 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.

ORIGINAL STORY:

Her stepfather says men abducted his 2-year-old son, stepdaughter and himself. The father and son were released, but the 4-year-old girl is still missing.