Amber Alert

4-year-old Rock Island girl found after Amber Alert issued was never missing, police say

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A 4-year-old Rock Island girl who was reported missing after an apparent kidnapping during an auto theft, triggering a statewide Amber Alert, was never missing, police said at a press conference Thursday.

Blessing J. Aoci was initially reported missing on Jan. 16 after her mother called 911 and told police that her vehicle had been stolen with her daughter inside the vehicle.

The report led to a widespread mobilization of local, state and federal law enforcement agencies throughout the day before Blessing was located near her residence approximately nine hours after she was reported missing, with no signs of distress or having been left outside in the cold.

Police said an investigation determined that Blessing was inside her mother's residence the entire time, with bodycam footage showing Blessing inside the residence while being identified as another one of her mother's children to officers.

"This was by all accounts an intentional deception that wasted the time and resources of six local law enforcement agencies, the Illinois State Police, the FBI and the Federal Marshals," Rock Island police chief Tim McLeod said.

McLeod said the lone truth to the initial complaint was that Blessing's mother's car was stolen. While auto theft charges on the suspects involved remain in place, kidnapping charges in connection to the incident have been dropped.

Police said an arrest warrant for a felony charge of filing a false police report has been issued, though Blessing's family appears to have fled the area.

Police originally said Blessing was inside a brown Saturn Outlook driven by her mother at around 6:07 a.m. in the 1300 block of 14th 1/2 Street when it was stolen, with Blessing left inside.

The vehicle was located unoccupied by police approximately 14 minutes later in the area of 8th Street and 15th Avenue, officials said.

Numerous law enforcement agencies assisted in the search for Blessing as a command post was established in the area of 15th Street and 15th Avenue. Searches then narrowed in on where the vehicle Blessing was inside was stolen, with voluntary searches on neighboring property conducted as well, authorities said.

According to officials, Blessing was located in the area at approximately 2:53 p.m. in "apparent good health" and was reunited with her mother before being transported to a local hospital for a medical evaluation.

Eighteen-year-old Jaron Bailey-Harris was charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and possession of a stolen vehicle, authorities said.

Additionally, three minors were charged with possession of a stolen vehicle while another minor, a 16-year-old, was charged with possession of a stolen vehicle, police said.

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