AMAYA MARIE PERNELL - 3 yo - East Lansing MI

An Amber Alert has been issued for a missing, three-year-old East
Lansing toddler. The East Lansing Police Dept. says the girl was last seen at
his mother's East Lansing address about 9:30 p.m. Monday.



Police say the girl is believed to be in extreme danger. The missing child is
said to be 3 feet tall, 30 pounds, has brown eyes and black hair. East
Lansing Police say the child was allegedly abducted by Lester Devon
Pernell. The 28-year-old Pernell is said to be 6 feet 6 inches, 220
pounds, with brown eyes and black hair. The alleged abductor was
last seen wearing blue jeans, and a long dark dress coat. The suspect
vehicle is a gold, Mercury Cougar. It has a Michigan license plate
number of CFA0330 and has a dent or damage to drivers side door. If
you have any information on the alleged victim, abductor or vehicle,
immediately call 911 or East Lansing Police Department at 517-351-4220.
* * * *
East Lansing Police are looking for a missing toddler. She was last
seen at 9:30pm Monday, and police believe she's in extreme danger. The
girl is 3 years old, 3'0" and about 30 pounds. She's got brown eyes and
black hair, and was wearing multi-colored striped pants and a
long-sleeved white shirt when she disappeared.

Police believe a man named Lester Devon Pernell took the girl. He's
28 years old, about 6'6" and 220 pounds. He has brown eyes, black hair,
and was wearing blue jeans and a long, dark dress coat.

Pernell drives a gold Mercury Cougar, with Michigan license number
CFA0330. Police say there's a dent in the driver's side door. If you
have any information about the victim, alleged abductor or vehicle, call
911 immediately. You can also call the East Lansing Police Department
directly at 517-351-4220.

http://www.wilx.com/news/headlines/Amber_Alert_For_East_Lansing_Child_112231839.html

An Amber Alert has been issued
for a 3-year old East Lansing girl. East Lansing and Michigan State
Police say Amaya Marie Pernell was abducted Monday night by her father,
Lester Devon Pernell. Police say the 28-year old father has a "confirmed
history of harming children, sexual assault, domestic assault, or is
suicidal." Amaya was taken from her mother's home located at 1320
Deerpath #32 in East Lansing. Amaya is African-American, 3 feet tall,
and 30 pounds with brown eyes and black hair. She was last seen at 9:35
p.m. Monday, wearing multi-colored striped pants and a long-sleeved
white shirt. Pernell is 6'6, 220 pounds, with brown eyes and black hair.
He was last seen wearing blue jeans and a long dress coat. The suspect
was driving a gold Mercury Cougar, with the license number CFA0330. It
has a dent or damage on the drivers side door. If you have any
information, call 911 immediately or East Lansing police (517) 351-4220.

FBI helps search for 3-year-old; kidnapping charges filed
UPDATED 3:45 P.M.

LANSING -- The Ingham County Prosecutor's office has authorized kidnapping charges against Lester Pernell as police continue to look for his 3-year-old daughter, Amaya Marie Pernell.
The charges include kidnapping, first-degree home invasion, interfering with electronic communications and domestic violence. All are felonies except for the domestic violence charge, which is a misdemeanor. He faces up to life in prison.
East Lansing police continue to search for Pernell and Amaya. The FBI is assisting in the investigation.

Check www.lsj.com for updates.

snipped....


UPDATED 8 P.M.
EAST LANSING -- The East Lansing Police Department said it has expanded its search for missing 3-year-old Amaya Marie Pernell nationwide.


Amaya was abducted from her home in East Lansing Monday night by her father, Lester Devon Pernell.


Police said they have information that Lester Pernell, 28, may have traveled with Amaya to Atlanta, Georgia and that he may be using an alias of Donald Crandall Stough, date of birth July 25, 1980, and may also given a false name of Miliyah for Amaya.


Police said they do not know Pernell's whereabouts in Georgia and do not have information on any vehicle he is traveling in.


Police made the announcement of the expansion of the search the search moments ago at the East Lansing Police Station. Police and reporters were standing by after comments were posted on Lester Pernell's Facebook page that indicated he would show up at the police station at 7 p.m. this evening. He did not show up.

http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/article/20101221/NEWS01/312210015

3-year-old safe; father in custody

UPDATED 9:30 P.M.

EAST LANSING -- A three-year-old child is safe and her father is in custody after a nationwide search that began Monday evening, according to police.
Amaya Marie Pernell, 3, has been located and will be returned to her mother, according to a press release from East Lansing police. Police did not release the location of the child.
Her father, 28-year-old Lester Devon Pernell, has been arrested and is in custody, police said. They did not release details on where the arrest occurred or what agency had him in custody.
Police said the investigation remains open and no additional details surrounding the investigation or arrest will be released at this time. The case will be turned over to the Ingham County Prosecutors

read more...

http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/article/20101221/NEWS01/312210015

Yay!!!!!

UPDATED 11:05 A.M.



EAST LANSING -- For several hours Tuesday, Ann Marie Gottschalk feared the worst.



But this morning, her 3-year-old granddaughter, Amaya Marie Pernell, is back home at her mother's East Lansing apartment, getting back in her routine of watching TV shows such as “Dora” and “Wonder Pets.”



Authorities recovered Amaya Tuesday night in Detroit after they say her father, Lester Pernell, kidnapped her from her East Lansing home Monday night after assaulting the child’s mother, who is Gottschalk’s daughter.



“I am happy to have my baby back,” said Gottschalk of Delta Township. “The whole family is.”



She said she feared that some harm would come to her granddaughter because of Pernell’s assault on the child’s mother. For the same reason, authorities issued an Amber Alert for Amaya and conducted a nationwide search for her.



Lester Devon Pernell, who was arrested Tuesday night, was arraigned in District Court 54B on charges with kidnapping, first-degree home invasion, interfering with electronic communications and domestic violence in the incident that involved his daughter, Amaya Marie Pernell.



District Judge Richard Ball set a $500,000 cash or surety bond for Lester Pernell.



East Lansing police said Lester Pernell kidnapped the girl after he forced his way into a home Monday evening at the Deerpath Apartments. The mother was treated at the scene for injuries that were not life-threatening, police said.



http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/article/20101222/NEWS01/312220016/Update-Father-arraigned-in-East-Lansing-kidnapping-case