AMIR JENNINGS - 18 Months - Columbia SC

Columbia police say they have arrested a
22-year-old mother after she lied to officers about the location of her
18-month-old son, who has been missing for several weeks.
Investigators said Saturday
they are worried about the well-being of Amir Jennings, who was
reported missing along with his mother earlier in December.

The toddler's mother, Zinah
(ZEE-nah) Jennings, was found after she was involved in a wreck on Dec.
24. Police asked her about her son, and officers said she lied about
where he was.

Jennings is charged with
unlawful conduct toward a child. She is being held on a $150,000 bond at
the Richland County jail, and it wasn't clear if she had an attorney.
http://www.foxcarolina.com/story/16423183/cops-woman-lied-about-missing-toddlers-location

Columbia authorities are asking for your help to locate an 18 month old boy who has been missing since Thanksgiving.


Columbia Police say there is great concern for toddler Amir Jennings safety.

Family members last saw Amir Jennings, an 18-month-old boy with his
mother Zinah Demaris Jennings during the Thanksgiving holiday.

A warrant was issued for Ms. Jennings on December 29th by Columbia Police.

On the same day, Jennings was arrested and charged with Unlawful Conduct Towards a Child.

The charge was filed after Ms. Jennings gave false and inconsistent
information to CPD Investigators about her son Amir's whereabouts.

Ms. Jennings was booked at the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center where she
is scheduled to have a bond hearing at 1:00 p.m. on December 31, 2011.

If you have have information please call Crimestoppers at 1-888 CRIME SC.
http://www.wltx.com/news/article/165821/2/18-month-old-Columbia-Boy-Missing?odyssey=tab|topnews|bc|large

Jan 01, 2012 8:08 AM

Amir Jennings

Zinah Jennings

COLUMBIA, SC
(WIS) - The mother of a missing child has been arrested and charged
unlawful conduct towards a child after police say she gave false and
inconsistent information to investigators on the child's whereabouts.

Authorities say 18-month-old Amir Jennings was last seen by his family members during the Thanksgiving holiday.

The mother, 22-year-old Zinah Demaris
Jennings, is currently at the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center following a
hearing where bond was set at $150,000 surety.

Initially, police say, Zinah's family members
were worried that Zinah and the child had gone missing after being
unable to get in touch with the pair earlier in December. A missing
persons report was then filed on both Amir and Zinah.

On Christmas Eve, according to police, Zinah
was involved in a car crash on Millwood Avenue. The responding officer
found Zinah in the missing persons directory and immediately asked her about her son.

Investigators say Zinah gave false and inconsistent information to the officer.

Amir remains missing and police are looking for any leads that might help them locate the child.

If you have any information on the whereabouts of Amir Jennings, you are asked to call Crimestoppers at 1-888-CRIME-SC.
http://www.wistv.com/story/16422774/mother-of-missing-child-arrested-charged-with-unlawful-conduct

Police: Mother of missing child not cooperating with authorities
Posted: Jan 02, 2012 6:24 PM EST Updated: Jan 02, 2012 6:24 PM EST
By Jack Kuenzie -
COLUMBIA, SC (WIS) - Columbia police have had no luck locating a one and a half year old boy, who has missing for more than a month.

On Monday, Chief Randy Scott said the investigation into the disappearance of young Amir Jennings now involves state and federal authorities.

"Ms. Jennings has not been very cooperative and very inconsistent with law enforcement," said Chief Scott.

Authorities say since her bond hearing over the weekend that continues to be the case with 22-year-old Zinah Jennings, who is the young mother of 18 month old Amir Jennings whose whereabouts are still unknown.

"She's still giving us inconsistent stories," said Scott. "And it's unfortunate. Our main concern is the whereabouts and safety of this child right now. And that, we just don't have any concrete idea."

Zinah Jennings is being held on 150 thousand dollars bond, charged with child cruelty.

Investigators say her son has not been seen since Thanksgiving.

Columbia police have been monitoring the situation since December 8th when the boy's grandmother filed a missing persons report.

They located Zinah Jennings 17 days later early on Christmas Eve and quite by accident.

Police say she was involved in a crash that wrecked her car at Millwood and Lady Street, not far from her mother's home.

Chief Randy Scott says when Zinah Jennings was asked about her son, who was not in the car she gave conflicting stories.

"She said at one hand, the baby was in Atlanta and in the other hand, the baby was in Charlotte," said Scott. "We're researching both of those ideas but you know this is a child. So I didn't want to take anything to chance. I called in every resource that was possible."

And so, Scott has notified the State Law Enforcement Division and the FBI.

He also wants anyone who might have information about Amir or might be concealing him to know they could be facing their own charges if they fail to step forward.

"If you have Amir, you need to call law enforcement immediately," said Scott. "If you have seen Amir, you need to call us immediately. This is a criminal investigation at this point."

In an incident report filed about three weeks ago, the suspect's mother Jocelyn Jennings told police her daughter had been making "cryptic" phone calls to her family indicating she had an ongoing battle with depression.

http://www.wistv.com/story/16431276/police-mother-of-missing-
child-not-cooperating-with-authorities

Poster's note: I wish overwhelmed, or over-whatever people would just hand the child to a family member and say "I can't deal with this now"...take him to a neighbor, go sit outside for a few minutes, but please don't hurt the children. It seems like this baby's grandmother would have helped had she been asked. I hope he is safe and being cared for by someone but the mother not talking makes it not look very promising.

http://www.wltx.com/news/article/166330/2/Police-on-Missing-Toddler-We-Have-Not-Ruled-Out-Foul-Play

A missing 18-month old boy from Columbia is gaining national attention--but there's still idea no where the child is.

Police say Zinah Jennings, the 22-year old mom of Amir Jennings, is not cooperating with them.

"The unfortunate thing is Ms. Jennings will not tell us where the child is at, she's told us several different variantions of the story, but all of them proven to be false," said Columbia Police Chief Randy Scott.

Police are asking for your help to locate Amir, who has been missing since Thanksgiving.

Scott says he is concerned for Amir's safety because even the child's extended family isn't sure where the little boy is.

"Right now we have not ruled out foul play, but obviously we don't know where Amir is and we are not getting any solid answers... I am very concerned about his safety at this point," said Chief Scott.

Zinah's mother filed a missing person's report after not seeing her daughter or her grandson since Thanksgiving. But Zinah was seen again on December 24th when she was involved in a car accident--but Amir was not with her.

Police questioned her several times, and a warrant was issued for Zinah on December 29th. She was arrested and charged with unlawful conduct towards a child.

The charge was filed after police say she lied to investigators about her son Amir's whereabouts.

"We at this point don't understand why she's not telling us where Amir is at, when is the last time she has seen him," Jennings said. "Someone in the community has seen Amir and has seen Zinah. This is a criminal matter at this point."

Ms. Jennings is behind bars at the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center where she is being held on a $150,000 bond.

"We are not stopping now," Scott says. "We don't know and until we know we will not stop looking, questioning family members, friends."

If you have have information on Amir's whereabouts, please call Crimestoppers at 1-888 CRIME SC.

A former college student who became depressed and erratic after
becoming a mother is charged with lying about where her missing
18-month-old son has been for more than a month, police said Wednesday.
Authorities
said they were desperately searching for Amir Jennings after his
22-year-old mother, Zinah Jennings, told them several inconsistent and
false stories about the boy being with relatives and friends in South
Carolina, North Carolina and Georgia.
"I'm trying to stay
optimistic about this," Columbia Police Chief Randy Scott told The
Associated Press Wednesday. "But short of being optimistic, this case
bothers me."
The mother and son were reported missing in early
December, but the mother turned up after she was involved in a car
accident on Christmas Eve.
Scott said officers hope a tip line and media exposure will lead to more information.
"I
want someone to call us and say, 'We just saw this on the news, we have
Amir, we're sorry, we didn't realize this was going on,'" he said. "Her
stories are so across the board that our search right now is from
Charlotte to Atlanta."
Investigators said they hoped Amir Jennings
was alive but they weren't getting much help from his mother. In early
December, grandmother Jocelyn Jennings Nelson reported her own daughter
missing, saying that she hadn't seen her in several days and hadn't seen
her grandson since the Thanksgiving holiday.
According to an
incident report, Jennings had had a car wreck several days before and
had been making "cryptic phone calls to other family members indicating
her ongoing fight with depression is continuing."
That sort of
behavior wasn't unusual for the young mother, according to relatives,
who told investigators the one-time college student had begun
disappearing for days on end, with her son, since his birth.
"The
grandmother told me specifically that, when she was in school, she was a
very good person, a very good student," said Scott, adding that
relatives had previously filed several missing persons reports on
Jennings. "But once the baby was born, the conduct kind of changed."
Jennings
attended Winthrop University in Rock Hill, S.C., for one academic year,
from fall 2007 until spring 2008, according to a school spokeswoman.
Early
on the morning of Christmas Eve, Jennings wrecked her Dodge Neon in a
one-car accident near her house in Columbia. Authorities learned that
Jennings was reported missing and they say Jennings began giving shaky
stories about her son's whereabouts. They also spoke with Amir's father,
who told them he had seen the boy during Thanksgiving but generally has
had little contact with the boy.
"First it's, 'He's with my
sister in Atlanta. Oh no, I'm sorry, he's with my friend in Charlotte,'"
Scott said. "It's all over the place. ... Everything she's telling us
is just lies."
Several days later, police again spoke with
Jennings, who said her son was with a friend in Columbia, but that story
was also a dead end. After days of giving police bad information, the
mother was charged Dec. 29 with unlawful conduct toward a child and is
being held on $150,000 bond.
The police chief said he did not know
if Jennings had an attorney. The number listed for both Jennings and
her mother was not working, and the grandmother did not immediately
return a message left on her work number. Police have not released the
name of Amir's father.
At this point, Scott said investigators have two theories.
"It's
either A: Zinah has given Amir to someone. Or Zinah has, in some way,
shape or form, harmed Amir," Scott said. "Until we have something more
on Amir, I do not rule out foul play. And in my mind, there's already an
air of foul play, because no one will tell us where Amir is at. Foul
play doesn't have to mean that someone is deceased. Foul play is lying
to police."
Scott said he's struggling to remain optimistic that
Amir will be found unharmed. He would not discuss any evidence police
have collected from the mother's home or car.
"It's the way this
whole case is playing out," Scott said. "It's more than just that the
child is missing. The mother is lying about the whereabouts of the
child."
There was no answer Wednesday at the blue two-story home
where police say Jennings, her mother and son live, its door and front
porch still festooned with Christmas decorations. The house, just a few
blocks from one of Columbia's busiest thoroughfares, is on a quiet,
tree-lined street of other one- and two-story homes, some with fenced-in
yards and porches.
"We see each other and speak and say hello,"
said Selwyn Young, who lives across the street from the Jennings family
and said he recalled seeing Jennings pushing the baby around the
neighborhood and walking the family's dog. "Hopefully they find him.
Hopefully they get it right."
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gMNpFfY1e6NtXxbeHazhooR4tzOg?docId=26c9dbf21935453b8abc18566a480d09

She'd better contact Jose Baez. So, so similar it's very eery.

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WACH, AP) -- Police say they
have used cadaver dogs to search a car and home belonging to the South
Carolina woman they accuse of repeatedly lying to them about where her 18-month-old son is.
Columbia Police Department spokeswoman Jennifer Timmons said Thursday three search
warrants had been executed 22-year-old Zinah Jennings' car and home.
Police say tips have also lead them to the Atlanta area, where investigators spent Thursday following up on leads.
Columbia Police Chief Randy Scott wouldn't say if evidence had been found in the woman's car or home.
The child, Amir Jennings, was last seen with his mother around Thanksgiving.
The boy's grandmother reported both missing on December 8.
On Christmas Eve day around 4:00 a.m., Jennings was involved in a traffic
accident at the intersection of Millwood Avenue and Lady Street in Columbia.
An investigator looking into the accident realized Jennings had been reported missing, and noticed she did not have her son.
Investigators have questioned the mother repeatedly, but say Jennings has continued to give them inconsistent information.
Jennings is charged with[size=9] unlawful conduct towards a child. She[size=9] is being held on a $150,000 bond at the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center.
http://www.midlandsconnect.com/news/story.aspx?id=704218#.TwZQylbPwfw

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5j1wYaEaO5IunpEKJVoREpLsfN7TA?docId=5a07b573f9334ecc9706d662aa0a491b

The mother of an 18-month-old South Carolina boy missing for more than a month initially told investigators she didn't have a son when they questioned her.

Arrest warrants provided to The Associated Press show that 22-year-old Zinah (ZEE-nah) Jennings first told police last month she had no children before saying her son, Amir, was in Atlanta. Jennings also took investigators to a Columbia apartment complex where she said she dropped off her son later saying she didn't know the apartment number or location within the complex.

Jennings' mother says she hasn't seen Amir since Thanksgiving.

Jennings is charged with unlawful conduct toward a child after police say she told inconsistent stories about Amir's whereabouts.

Police said Thursday they had used cadaver dogs to search the family's home.

COLUMBIA, S.C. — The grandmother of a missing 18-month-old South
Carolina boy pleaded with the public Friday to help authorities find the
toddler who was last seen by relatives at Thanksgiving.

Fighting back tears, Jocelyn Jennings Nelson described her
grandson, Amir Jennings, as a happy child with a gap in his front teeth.
She says he enjoys nursery rhymes, music and responds to “Mir Mir” and “AJ.”


( Jeffrey Collins / Associated Press ) - Jocelyn Jennings
Nelson, right, the grandmother of missing 18-month-old boy Amir
Jennings, asks anyone who might know where the boy is to call police
while her nephew, Caesar Stovall, left, listens during a press
conference on Friday, Jan. 6, 2012, in Columbia, S.C. Columbia Police
said they arrested the boy’s mother on Dec. 29, 2011 police said she
lied to them about where he son was.


“My family and I are requesting your support in helping us to find his location and to bring him home,” Nelson said.
Police Chief Randy Scott said officers were tracking down leads. The boy’s
mother, Zinah Jennings, has been jailed since police said she lied to
them last week about where he son was.
Nelson reported Jennings missing in early December, saying she was worried about the boy and her
daughter. The grandmother told authorities her daughter was a former
Winthrop University student who struggled with depression and started
acting erratically after her son’s birth.
Police began looking for the 22-year-old mother but said they also considered that relatives
said she had repeatedly left town for days at a time, taking her son to
visit friends in neighboring states.
Several weeks later, on Christmas Eve, police investigating a one-car wreck just blocks from
Jennings’ home were surprised to find the driver was the young mother
they’d been looking for. Interviewed at a hospital, police said Jennings
gave conflicting statements about where the boy was, first telling
authorities she didn’t have any children before saying Amir was with
friends and family in cities from Atlanta to Charlotte, N.C.
After several dead ends, the mother was arrested Dec. 29 and charged with
lying to police. Authorities say they have stepped up their efforts to
find the boy and are hoping a tip line will yield some information.
Jennings also took investigators to a Columbia apartment complex where she said
she had dropped off her son, later saying she didn’t know the apartment
number or location within the complex, according to search warrants
provided to The Associated Press.
Police searched the mother’s home and car this week with cadaver dogs. Search warrants show that
authorities were looking for items that could contain Amir’s DNA, but
paperwork listing items removed from Jennings’ bedroom was heavily redacted.
Scott said Friday that Jennings has continued to be
unhelpful. Investigators are working on a timeline from Thanksgiving to
Dec. 8, when Nelson reported her daughter missing.
As more time passes, Scott said he’s worried.
“I’m fearful,” Scott said. “I will tell you, I’m concerned.”
Police have spoken with Amir’s father, who told them he had seen the boy
during Thanksgiving but generally has had little contact with him. The
father was not identified by police.
Jennings is being held in Richland County jail on $150,000 bond. Police have said they don’t know if she has an attorney.
On Friday, Jennings’ aunt thanked people who had called in tips to authorities and made an appeal for more information.
“It may seem insignificant, but if you can remember anything else,
please call the hotline and let the detectives whether that information
is significant or not,” Millie Houston said.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/police-missing-sc-boys-mother-told-police-she-had-no-children-then-began-inconsistent-tales/2012/01/06/gIQAJRsueP_story.html

COLUMBIA, S.C. --




COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) Police say they have used cadaver
dogs to search a car and home belonging to the South Carolina woman they
accuse of repeatedly lying to them about where her 18-month-old son is.

Columbia Police Department spokeswoman Jennifer Timmons
said Thursday three search warrants had been executed 22-year-old Zinah
(ZEE-nah) Jennings' car and home.

Jennings' mother says she has not seen Jennings' son, Amir, since Thanksgiving.

Jennings is charged with unlawful conduct toward a
child after police say she told inconsistent stories about her son's
whereabouts.

Columbia Police Chief Randy Scott wouldn't say if evidence had been found in the car or home.
http://www2.counton2.com/news/2012/jan/07/cops-use-cadaver-dog-in-search-for-missing-sc-boy-ar-3005868/

She was probably right when she said she didn't have a son. She most likely had already murdered him by the time she was asked.

Shades of Casey Anthony.

Columbia, SC (WLTX) - Columbia Police Chief Randy Scott said the
mother of a missing child is being more cooperative, but still hasn't
let them know what may have happened to the toddler.

Scott gave an update late Monday on the disappearance of 18-month-old Amir Jennings.

Jennings hasn't been seen since around Thanksgiving. Officers have
arrested his mother, 22-year-old Zinah Jennings, and charged her with
unlawful conduct toward a child.

Zinah's family initially reported her missing as well, but she turned
up again after she was involved in a car accident on December 24th.
During questioning, she refused to say what happened to her child,
according to Scott.

Last week, cadaver dogs and officers searched Zinah's home in
Columbia. Investigators say during that search they took a shovel and
several other items as evidence.

Chief Scott said a search of Zinah's car turned up a bloody blanket.
Scott says, however, that the blood could be from the mother from
injuries sustained in the December 24th car accident.

The blanket and the shovel were sent to the State Law Enforcement Division for testing.

Scott said since the initial questioning, Zinah has told them she
last saw the child on November 29th at her home in Columbia. However, he
said she said her son disappeared, and it was up to police to find him.

http://www.wltx.com/news/article/167415/2/Blood-Found-Mom-More-Cooperative-in-Missing-Child-Case

I'm sick of all these Casey copy cats.

COLUMBIA, S.C. -- Eyewitness News
obtained unedited warrants in the case of missing toddler Amir Jennings.
They contain information police did not want released yet; however, a
station in Columbia, S.C., got them through a courthouse source. Monday
police confirmed to Eyewitness News the information is central to their
case.According to the warrants, police found evidence in the
Dodge Neon that belongs to the toddler's mother, Zinah. The warrant said
the stains were "consistent with blood stains" and "were seen on items
of clothing and blankets."Also according to the new documents,
Zinah's stepfather said he saw her with a shovel in her backyard around
the same time her 18-month-old son disappeared. Police obtained a search
warrant and took a shovel from the family's house. They also searched
the yard with a cadaver dog. The warrants do not say whether the dog
found any evidence.Amir and Zinah were last seen by family
members in that home the day before Thanksgiving. Police found her on
Christmas Eve after she crashed her car. Reports said she told the
medical staff she did not have a child. She was arrested and police said
she told them more lies about Amir. Police are trying to find out what
happened that month they were missing.Police got a tip she often
went to a library in Columbia. The search warrants show police took
information from her library card and investigated any computer searches
she made.Police told Eyewitness News the stains on the clothing
and blankets from the car looked like blood. They've sent them to a lab
to confirm if it was blood and, if so, if it belonged to Amir.

http://www.wsoctv.com/news/30171354/detail.html

Warrants: Bloody clothes, blankets found in Zinah Jennings' car

COLUMBIA, SC (WIS) - Columbia police investigators found bloody blankets and clothes in the vehicle of a woman whose 18-month-old son vanished the day before Thanksgiving, according to search warrants released Monday.

The search warrants show that police went to 22-year-old Zinah Jennings' Lady St. home after Jennings' step dad told police he saw her in the backyard with a shovel during the time Amir Jennings went missing.

During a January 4 search, investigators found and confiscated a shovel at the home, according to a warrant. Warrants also show that police, on December 30, also found what appear to be blood stains on blankets and clothes in the back of Zinah Jennings' 2004 Dodge Neon.

Columbia Police Chief Randy Scott said Monday that investigators are not sure who the blood belongs to and that they sent the clothes and blankets along with Zinah Jennings' DNA samples to SLED for analysis.

"I'm fearful," said Scott. "I will tell you I'm concerned, but I'm not willing to say, until we have proof that something has happened drastically to Amir."

Cadaver dogs have turned investigators on to potential leads.

The dogs were also used at Zinah's sister's house in Atlanta.

Denise Jennings says she was happy to see the investigators on her property last week looking for any clues that would help bring her nephew home.

"They came and explained what they were going to do and I was glad to see them," said Denise.

We're told Zinah stayed with her sister for much of the fall until about a week before Amir went missing. Denise says her sister may suffer from post-partum depression.

"I think she left him with someone," Denise added. "I think she was scared and wanted him to be cared for."

Zinah Jennings is currently in jail for lying about her son's whereabouts. Police say she refuses to say where the little boy is. She is charged with unlawful conduct toward a child.

Zinah Jennings' mother, Jocelyn Jennings Nelson, reported Amir missing to the Columbia Police Department December 8.

Investigators are searching from Charlotte to Atlanta in hopes of finding the toddler alive. Police say the boy's mother has given several different accounts as to where the child is.

Jennings was found after a car wreck Christmas Eve. Columbia police said she told them that Amir was with friends in North Carolina and Georgia and even said at one point that she didn't even have a child. Investigators also say Zinah said the child was with a man named Ernest Robinson -- a man who doesn't exist.

On January 2, Zinah took police investigators to an apartment complex where she said she dropped off her son, the warrant states. Once there, however, she told investigators that she did not know the apartment number or its location within the complex.

The warrants also show that police took DNA from Zinah Jennings and investigators went to the Richland County Public Library to look into Jennings' computer use there.

On Friday, relatives of Jennings and the 18-month-old held a news conference to ask for the public's help to locate the missing toddler.

"Amir is 18-months-old. He has four 4 to 6 front teeth and a distinct gap. Amir answers to 'Mir, Mir." He is a whistling baby. He likes music...he responds by singing, bouncing, and, clapping his hands," said Jocelyn Nelson.

"If there is anyone who has seen and/or knows the whereabouts of Amir, please contact law enforcement immediately."

"My family and I also request your prayers for Amir's safe return," concluded Nelson.

If you have any information about the whereabouts of Amir Jennings, You are urged to call Crimestoppers at 1-888-CRIME-SC.

http://www.wistv.com/story/16480659/warrants-bloody-clothes-blankets-found-in-zinah-jennings-car

COUMBIA, S.C. -- 11Alive News has learned that the mother of a missing toddler was arrested for prostitution and drug possession less than a month before her son's disappearance.

According to the police report obtained by 11Alive News, East Point police arrested Zinah Jennings on November 9 after she agreed to have sex with an undercover officer in exchange for $40.

The report also says Jennings was smoking a "marijuana cigar" when officers waiting nearby swooped in to arrest her.

Jennings' family told Columbia (S.C.) Police that the 22-year-old suffered from severe depression when they reported her missing in early December.

However, it's now clear that in addition to potential mental illness, Jennings' life was unraveling in other ways in the days and weeks before her son's disappearance.

A $10,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the return of missing toddler Amir Jennings.

Columbia Police Chief Randy Scott announced the reward Tuesday afternoon.

"This case has been weighing on the hearts and minds of Columbia Police investigators for weeks now. There is still great concern for the child's safety and well-being," he said. "We continue to ask the public across three states to assist us in finding Amir Jennings."

Scott said the child's mother is being more cooperative, but still hasn't let them know what may have happened to the toddler.

RELATED | Search warrant for Zinah Jennings' home

Jennings hasn't been seen since around Thanksgiving. Officers have arrested his mother and charged her with unlawful conduct toward a child.

Zinah's family initially reported her missing as well, but she turned up again after she was involved in a car accident on December 24. During questioning, she refused to say what happened to her 18-month-old son, according to Scott.

Last week, cadaver dogs and officers searched Zinah's home in Columbia. Investigators say during that search they took a shovel and several other items as evidence.

Chief Scott said a search of Zinah's car turned up a bloody blanket. Scott says, however, that the blood could be from the mother from injuries sustained in the December 24th car accident.

The blanket and the shovel were sent to the State Law Enforcement Division for testing.

Scott said since the initial questioning, Zinah has told them she last saw the child on November 29 at her home in Columbia. However, he said she said her son disappeared, and it was up to police to find him.

http://www.11alive.com/news/article/221339/40/EAST-POINT--Mother-of-missing-toddler-arrested-for-prostitution

COLUMBIA -- A notable Columbia criminal defense attorney said Tuesday he is now representing the South Carolina mother of a toddler who has been missing since Thanksgiving.

Hemphill Pride II told The Associated Press that he was hired Monday to represent Zinah Jennings on a charge of unlawful conduct toward a child.

Pride said he had met with his client in a Columbia psychiatric hospital where she is being evaluated but was still waiting on Jennings' previous attorney to send over the case file.




Jennings has been in jail since late December, when Columbia police say they arrested her for lying about the whereabouts of her son.

Her mother had reported Jennings missing several weeks earlier, telling police she thought her daughter and grandson were in Atlanta but that she was receiving evasive answers when she asked about the boy, Amir.

Speaking to police after a Christmas Eve car wreck, Jennings first said she didn't have children and then said her son was with relatives and friends in cities from Atlanta to Charlotte, N.C.

Investigators say they chased down Jennings' stories but met with several dead ends before arresting the mother.

Authorities said they have stepped up their efforts to find the boy and are hoping a tip line and $10,000 reward will yield information. State police are analyzing stains on blankets and clothes removed from Jennings' car to see if they are blood, and police said Tuesday they were still working leads but had no updates on the case.

Jennings was arrested on prostitution and drug charges in Georgia shortly before her son disappeared. Jennings was arrested by East Point, Ga., police in November, accused of offering sex to an undercover officer.

Jennings had been staying with a half-sister, Denise Jennings, in the Atlanta area for three weeks before her Nov. 9 arrest. East Point is just south of Atlanta.

On the day Zinah Jennings was arrested, her half-sister reported her missing, telling police that she had left her home and suffered from "schizophrenic tendencies" that had not been diagnosed.

The grandmother, Jocelyn Jennings Nelson, has said her headstrong daughter frequently traveled to visit relatives and friends in the Carolinas and Georgia but had been depressed since the birth of her son. Nelson said she reported Jennings and the boy missing last month after becoming concerned during their visit to Atlanta.

"I was assured by both her sister and her that, 'Everything is fine."' Nelson said.

Pride represented former South Carolina standout Moe Thompson, who pleaded guilty in 2005 to attempted first-degree burglary and petit larceny on allegations he and a teammate took TVs and a DVD player they thought belonged to other football players. Thompson was sentenced to 20 years, suspended to five years probation.

Pride was also an initial attorney for the "3 Hebrew Boys," a trio of men charged with dozens of federal fraud counts and subsequently ordered to repay $82 million in restitution to thousands of investors.

http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/m1077-BC-SC-SC-MissingBoy-1stLd-Writethru-01-17-0760

We all know where this is going.

Amir Jennings Update: Mom Zinah Jennings Is Pregnant And Mentally Ill


Police should release Zinah Jennings, because she's pregnant and mentally ill, her lawyer says.

MEG KINNARD 01/26/12 04:30 PM ET Associated Press

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Authorities have called off a search in central South Carolina for a toddler who has been missing since Thanksgiving.

Dozens of federal, state and local police officers scoured an eight-mile radius for more than four hours Thursday, looking for Amir Jennings.

The boy's mother, 22-year-old Zinah Jennings, has been held in jail since late December. Columbia police have accused her of lying about Amir's whereabouts.

Police said they received a tip to search the area near a small church in Richland County. Zinah Jennings' attorney says his client is not speaking to police and is on psychiatric medication.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

The mother of a South Carolina toddler missing since Thanksgiving is pregnant and mentally ill and should be released from jail because she needs medical care, the woman's attorney argued in court papers filed this week.

Hemphill Pride II said in the motions filed Tuesday in Columbia that Zinah Jennings has been ordered to have treatment for her mental illness for a year and has been told to take Risperdal, which is used to treat symptoms of schizophrenia. He also said she needs prenatal care.

On Thursday afternoon, federal, state and local police were searching a county in the central part of the state for the toddler. Columbia police spokeswoman Jennifer Timmons said officers were scouring an 8-mile radius near a small rural church in Richland County.

Jennings, 22, has been in jail since late December, when Columbia police say they arrested her for lying about the whereabouts of her son, Amir.

Her mother had reported Jennings missing several weeks earlier, telling police she thought her daughter and grandson were in Atlanta but that she was receiving evasive answers when she asked about Amir.

He was 18 months old when he disappeared.

Speaking to police after a Christmas Eve car wreck, Jennings first said she didn't have children and then said her son was with relatives and friends in cities from Atlanta to Charlotte, N.C.

Investigators say they chased down Jennings' stories but met with several dead ends before arresting her.

Authorities said they hope a tip line and $10,000 reward will yield information, and state police are analyzing stains on blankets and clothes removed from Jennings' car to see if they are blood.

Her half-sister who reported her missing told police that she had left her home and suffered from "schizophrenic tendencies" that had not been diagnosed.

Jocelyn Jennings Nelson has said her headstrong daughter frequently traveled to visit relatives and friends in the Carolinas and Georgia andt had been depressed since the birth of her 0son. Nelson said she reported Jennings and the boy missing last month after becoming concerned during their visit to Atlanta.

Jennings was arrested on prostitution and drug charges in Georgia shortly before her son disappeared, accused of offering sex to an undercover officer.

Jennings had been staying with a half-sister in the Atlanta area for three weeks before her Nov. 9 arrest.

On the day Zinah Jennings was arrested, her half-sister reported her missing, telling police that she had left her home and suffered from "schizophrenic tendencies" that had not been diagnosed. The grandmother has said her headstrong daughter frequently traveled to visit relatives and friends in the Carolinas and Georgia but had been depressed since the birth of her son.

In his motion, Pride cites a doctor who has examined Jennings and says she "lacks sufficient insight or capacity to make responsible decisions" about her treatment.

In a separate motion, Pride asks a judge to allow his client to wear street clothes during hearings because of intense media attention on her case. In a previous appearance, Jennings wore an orange jail jumpsuit and handcuffs.

A hearing in the case is scheduled for Monday.

Columbia police have called off their search of a wooded area in Northwest Richland County for missing Columbia toddler Amir Jennings, just hours after they began their probe.

Jennings hasn't been seen since around Thanksgiving, according to police and his family.

Officers were conducting their search Thursday an an 8-mile radius area near a church off Heyward Brockington Road. That region is north of Interstate 20 in Richland County between Fairfield Road and Monticello Road.

A command post was set up as police conduct their search, and officers were assisted by the State Law Enforcement Division, the FBI, and the Columbia-Richland Fire Department. In all, more than 100 officers were at the scene.

News19's Clark Fouraker reports that K-9 officers and cadaver dogs were part of their search.

Columbia Police Chief Randy Scott says a "credible tip" led his officers to this location.

For weeks, Scott has expressed concern for what has happened to the child. While Amir's grandmother and other family members have pleaded for help from the community, the one person who has been silent, according to officers, has been his mother, Zinah Jennings.

Initially, she was reported missing as well, but she resurfaced on Christmas Eve when she was involved in a minor car accident in Columbia. Since then, she's given little clarity as to the fate of her son, and has been in jail ever since.

Earlier in the day, Zinah Jennings's attorney, Hemphill Price II, said that his client was pregnant and needed to be released from jail to have prenatal care.

http://www.wltx.com/news/article/170453/2/UPDATE-Search-for-Missing-Toddler-Called-Off

COLUMBIA, SC (WIS) - A Columbia woman has created a Facebook page to help keep the story alive for a boy who's been missing since Thanksgiving.

T'nae Parker hopes the "Find Amir Jennings" Facebook page helps keep this story in people's minds. And she hopes it could help law enforcement find that one clue that could bring the little boy home.

"I have a lot of people asking me have I heard anything," said Parker. "What do I know and I really have nothing to give them."

Parker created the page days after news broke that Amir's family hadn't seen him in more than three weeks.

Parker is a single mother herself, just like Amir's mother, Zinah Jennings.

"I have a child and I know that if something happened to her I would move heaven and earth to get her back and I would want people to help me," said Parker.

But investigators say that's not what Zinah is doing. Columbia Police say she hasn't told them anything about where her son is or what happened to him.

Three weeks ago, Amir's grandmother appealed to the public for help finding him. The appeal came four weeks after the boy was last seen alive.

"There's not a face for him," said Parker. "There's nobody saying 'hey, can we look? Can we search here? Can we go there?' It's strange."

Thursday, Columbia Police, the State Law Enforcement Division, and the FBI searched an 8-mile stretch of woods in northern Columbia. Police say they got a lead, but wouldn't say what the lead was.

That's why Parker says she started the "Find Amir Jennings" page.

She's posted nearly every news story she can find and hopes one day it could turn up that one tip that could bring Amir home.

"A lot of questions I get on that page are: 'Is there a search party? What can we do to help?' and I really don't have an answer to that," said Parker. "I can't tell people 'let's go from Charlotte to Atlanta and search Columbia. Like, I don't know what to tell them and that's the hardest part. I don't have any answers."

Those answers, according to police are with Zinah Jennings. The problem is, she's not talking.

"Pleading to the public is great," said Parker. "I want to find him. There are other people that want to find him, but the one person that can help him is in the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center."

Click here for link to the 'Find Amir Jennings' Facebook page

http://www.wistv.com/story/16618952/woman-starts-facebook-page-to-help-find-missing-toddler

http://www.wltx.com/news/article/171012/2/Mother-of-Missing-Toddler-Expected-in-Court

The mother of a South Carolina toddler missing since Thanksgiving is expected in court.

An attorney for Zinah Jennings is expected to tell a judge during a hearing in Columbia on Monday that his 22-year-old client is pregnant and mentally ill and should be released from jail because she needs medical care.

Hemphill Pride II says Jennings has been ordered to have treatment for her mental illness for a year and has been told to take Risperdal, which is used to treat symptoms of schizophrenia. He also said she needs prenatal care.

Last week, officers scoured a rural area but found no evidence of Amir Jennings. The boy has been missing since Thanksgiving, and his mother has been arrested for lying about his whereabouts

if family members noticed that she had mental health issues, why didnt they take the baby or call someone to help before it went this far?

OMG...she's pregnant again. They better take this baby away as soon as it's born or it will go missing like Amir. Someone sterilize this idiot.