Missing 4-year-old Florida girl found, suspect arrested
Rebecca Lewis has been recovered in Memphis and is safe. The suspect, West Hogs, is in custody.
Investigators from Florida to Tennessee were searching for the 4-year-old girl who police said was taken from her home in central Florida by a longtime family friend. Thursday morning, authorities said they could be headed toward Nashville.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said it received a "credible report" of a sighting of Rebecca Lewis and 31-year-old West Hogs on Sunday night.
The Polk County Sheriff's Office in Florida said a park ranger in Campbell County, Tennessee, reported seeing a man and child matching the description of Hogs and Rebecca on Sunday night. The pair was spotted at a gas station off Interstate 75 in Forsyth on Saturday evening in a car with a stolen Alabama license plate.
According to the Polk County Sheriff, Hogs showed up in Polk County on Friday unannounced, and arrived at the family's residence in Lakeland Saturday morning and abducted Rebecca. A 16-year-old sister said she saw Rebecca sleeping around 9 a.m. Saturday, but when she woke up again 45 minutes later, the little girl was gone.
Once deputies arrived, they conducted multiple searches of the residence and conducted a house-by-house search with negative results. Sheriff's office K-9 and bloodhound officers also searched with no luck. A helicopter was used to help the search, as well.
Police said when Rebecca was spotted in Georgia, she appeared to be in good health. She could be seen wearing a pink dress and Hogs was wearing a light colored t-shirt and blue jeans.
The sheriff's office said Hogs is still driving a 2012 Grey Nissan Versa 4-door with Alabama Handicapped plate: 4JL26, which was reported as stolen by his mother in Alabama.
The Amber Alert was initially issued in Florida, then expanded to Georgia, Alabama, and Tennessee.
Heartland Crime Stoppers offered a $3,000 reward for information leading to the recovery of Rebecca Lewis. A telephone tips hotline had been set up for anonymous tips regarding the whereabouts of Rebecca and Hogs: it is 1-877-419-0934. Tips can also be submitted online at heartlandcrimestoppers.com.
Deputies said they think West Wild Hogs is a family friend. Polk sheriff's deputies said he legally changed his name from Matthew Clark Pybus to West Wild Hogs some time ago. Hogs is from the Seale Alabama area.