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The Amber Alert for missing Glendale 5-year-old Jahessye Shockley has been called off more than two days after her disappearance, as investigators move into the second phase of their investigation.
Additionally, police are not searching a nearby landfill, as other news outlets have reported (ABC 15, we’re looking at you), Glendale Sergeant Brent Coombs tells New Times.
Shockley hasn’t been found — calling off the Amber Alert is standard procedure after 48 hours of a child’s disappearance, authorities say. In fact, Coombs says, it’s typically called off after 8-10 hours.
Authorities have ended their search of the area surrounding the home where Shockley was last seen without turning up too many leads.
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At a press conference yesterday, Coombs told reporters authorities have received a couple dozen tips from as far away as northern Arizona.
One tipster told police that a 25 to 35-year-old African-American woman driving a 1998-2000 Chevrolet Malibu was seen in the area with a child fitting the description of Shockley.
According to the tipster, the woman was seen putting the child in the vehicle.
Shockley wandered away from siblings — who were caring for her at her family’s apartment at the time — a little before 5 p.m. Tuesday and hasn’t been seen since. Her mother returned home to the apartment and searched for the girl for about 30 minutes before calling police when she realized the 5-year-old was missing.
It was revealed yesterday that Shockley’s mother, Jerice Hunter, has a history of child abuse, including reportedly beating her kids with an electric cord.
Police say they’ve ruled nobody out as a suspect in the girl’s disappearance.
Shockley’s described as a black female, approximately 3-foot-5, 55
pounds, and has black hair and brown eyes. She has long hair that was in
a ponytail at the time of her disappearance. She was last seen wearing a
solid white T-shirt, blue jean shorts, and pink flip flops.
Anyone with information about Shockley’s disappearance should call the Glendale Police Department at 623-930-3000.
