LAKELAND, FL. – A 4-year-old girl who vanished from her home in Lakeland, Florida Saturday morning was found safe by investigators Monday in Tennessee. They said the onetime family friend accused of abducting her is now in custody.
Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, and Kentucky each issued Amber Alerts for the child. Through surveillance cameras, the pair was spotted in Florida, Georgia, and Tennessee during the search.
On Monday, Investigators said that a man named West Wild Hogs, 31, and the missing girl, Rebecca Lewis, were spotted in a car outside a Memphis hospital, FoxNews reported. Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said a security guard in Memphis spotted Hogs’ car in the parking lot and reported him to the Memphis Police Department. Police rushed to the scene and intercepted Hogs before he could drive away.
Rebecca did not appear injured but Sheriff Judd said they have ordered a mental and psychological screening for her. Then the girl will be reunited with her family.
Rebecca’s father said he won’t celebrate until his daughter is in his arms. “This has been a very long, hard road,” agreed Rebecca’s mother.
4-year-old Rebecca Lewis has been found in Memphis and is safe. 31-year-old suspect West Hogs is in police custody.https://t.co/iDKye4lDFN
— WKYT (@WKYT) October 10, 2016
“It was like the world had been lifted off my shoulders. Now the next world is just getting her back in my arms, so y’all go get her and bring her back,” said Rebecca’s father, Luther Lewis, during a press conference. Rebecca’s mother said she’s glad that her daughter is safe and Hogs did “the right thing.”
“I’ll probably never let her go,” said her father, at an emotional press conference where the family acknowledged police officers and the public for their help.
Rebecca’s parents would not say anything about Hogs, who’s been a long-time family friend and lived with them when Rebecca was an infant. But Sheriff Judd said Hogs was asked to leave the family’s home over two years ago after pulling a gun on them. He said Hogs suffers from depression and bipolar disorder.
Hogs legally changed his name from Matthew Clark Pybus, which seems to say something about his disposition. The girl’s grandmother, Oma Mae Lewis, addressed him as Matt and thanked him for bringing her to a safe place. “I’m so numb,” she said. “I went from anger to love to hate, back to love, back to hate. I can’t describe it.”
Hogs does not have any known criminal record, and it was not clear late Monday what charges he might face.
Hogs lived with his wife in Seale, Ala., in the eastern part of the state, the Sheriff’s Office said. Hogs’ wife last saw him about a week ago, when he took her on a road trip on Interstate 75 from Alabama to Maryland telling her he had a surprise for her. But Sheriff Judd said Hogs wouldn’t tell his wife what the surprise was.
After traveling for a considerable time through several states, “The wife said at about Dalton, Georgia ‘Hey, I’ve had enough of this. I’ve been riding around with you and it is now Thursday since last Monday about this surprise that you won’t tell me anything about,’” said Sheriff Judd. He said the wife got out of the car and called the family to pick her up.
Sheriff Judd said Hogs continued into Florida and went to his grandmother’s house in Polk City on Friday. He hadn’t seen his grandmother in more than a year, but asked to stay that night, saying he had a job interview, the sheriff said.
She agreed, later telling detectives Hogs had asked about Rebecca’s family and whether they still lived in the area. At 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Sheriff Judd said the grandmother left for work and Hogs picked Rebecca Lewis up on Highway 98 North in Polk County and they went to a McDonald’s for breakfast.
Her family didn’t realize she was missing until about 9:45 a.m. and searched for several hours before calling deputies. Her 16-year-old sister was home, but apparently sleeping when Rebecca disappeared.
The girl’s parents and the sheriff’s office explored the area around Rebecca’s home. The Sheriff’s Office used a helicopter and police dogs to search before issuing an Amber Alert about 5:30 p.m. Saturday.
Several law enforcement agencies across the country were alerted, but deputies didn’t receive any news until a Tennessee park ranger reported seeing them Sunday night. When the ranger asked them to leave, Hogs claimed he was waiting in the park for the girl’s mother. The ranger was not aware that the girl had been reported missing. When he saw a flier about the Amber Alert, he called Polk detectives.
The Amber Alert was expanded statewide in Tennessee and Hogs was taken into custody Monday afternoon in Memphis.
Polk County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Scott Wilder said it was still unclear why Hogs took the child. “The whole family is pretty torn up and very emotional. They just want to know why because they don’t understand why he would have taken her,” he said.
Authorities said it didn’t look like Hogs broke in to take Rebecca and that he could’ve called out for her. They say Rebecca is a friendly toddler who warms up to people quickly.
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said the state and federal attorney’s office are still working to determine if they will charge Hogs in state or federal court. “We will continue to work through the investigation and determine where and how Mr. Hogs will be prosecuted, but he’s in the pen now,” said Judd.