Chief Godbee: We're investigating an alleged car jacking that happened about 9:45 am at the area of Brush and the Boulevard. We're talking to mom and dad now, but obviously the most important thing right now for us is to locate two-year-old Bianca Jones. She was last seen wearing, according to her father, a purple coat, pink tights, pink shoes, also if anyone has any information to give us information as to what's going on relative to the child, the child's safety and safe return is of utmost importance to us right now. We have a command post set up, we're doing grid searches from where the vehicle was located at about 6 blocks from here. We have canines out, our mounted unit. I want to thank special agent in charge of Detroit field office or FBI Angelo Rena, we have our violent crimes task force out, so we have every available resource out making sure that we do every, we dot every I cross every T, search every home, talk to every individual, retrace the steps from the start of the day to make sure we bring this young lady home safely.
Q: Chief, what do we know about the parents and are you confident that what they're telling you is, in fact, true?
A: I'm not giving any credence to anything except the fact that we're compiling information. We're gonna leave no stone unturned, we're going to follow every investigative lead, we're going to vigorously challenge every thing that's given to us. I mean we're gonna do everything in our investigative capacity to make sure we locate this 2-year-old child.
Q: Has dad's story changed at all?
A: I'm not going to give any characterization as to the father, the mother. Right now that's not what's important. They appear to be very distraught and obviously if you have a two-year-old child and you don't know where that child is for me to assess the mental, they could be in shock or a number of different things. What's important for us right now is to get this information out as to the description of the child. If anyone has any information, has seen anything call 1-800-speakup, or the 13th precinct IOU 596-1340, 596 2200 but any information that we can gather right now, time is critical, we've got a command center set up, we're gonna work this til we find out what's going on with this child.
Q: They believed there was a car-jacking at first and the question is what kind of vehicles were involved. Is it true there was a grand marquis involved. Was the daughter in that vehicle at any time.
A: That was the car-jacked vehicle. We have located that vehicle. Based on the story that's been given to us, the child was in the vehicle at the time of the car-jacking in the Brush Boulevard area. So based on that premiss that is what we're working on right now.
Q: Did the Dad give any indication to you that his daughter was in the...
A: I don't want to give out too much information. This is a wide-open investigation. However, anybody watching, especially those that may be implicated in the crime. We want the child back safely. We'll deal with the rest of the stuff later. The important message we want to get out is a two-year-old that is unaccounted for, Bianca Jones, from the mother's description she may look like she's three or four cause she's a little tall for a two-year-old. Purple coat, pink tights, pink shoes, Bianca Jones. From what I understand from talking to the mother, she speaks well, she knows her name so she can articulate. So anyone that has information related to Bianca Jones, that's our focus right now.
Q: Suspect description?
A: light skinned male, African American about 6 feet tall, not very clean shaven 5 o clock shadow a brown button down dark pants
Q: was there a car seat in the vehicle
A: Yes there is
Q: how was it stolen?
A: It's an alleged car-jacking, at gunpoint. So that is the premiss that we're working on right now. If you give us an opportunity we'll circle back and we'll continue to update you as we get solid information and through our office of public information. And I'll give you a full briefing as we get better information
Q: Time is critical
A: Time is absolutely critical that's why I need to get back to the command post. Make sure we keep our efforts coordinated. Thank you very much
Q: the circumstances surrounding the car-jacking. Was the dad driving and somebody pulled him over or what
A: I really don't want to give too much detail on that. We can't give more detail that what we already have. It was an alleged car-jacking and we're following up on that. Thank you very much.