Missing Auburn Hills infant found safe; mother in custody
WARREN, Mich. (FOX 2) - More than two weeks after they disappeared, a missing Auburn Hills woman and her 2-month-old infant were found safe.
Auburn Hills police said Amanda Prowell-Smith and her baby Eliza were spotted Saturday at Skylar Laundromat in Warren. Amanda, 32, was arrested for outstanding warrants and taken to a hospital for an evaluation.
The baby was placed in the care of Child Protective Services after being checked out by a doctor, according to police.
"Eliza appeared to be in good health," said Auburn Hills Deputy Chief of Police Scott McGraw.
Amanda Prowell-Smith (Oakland County Jail)
Amanda and Eliza were reported missing to police on Feb. 5.
The two were last seen on a Ring doorbell video overnight on Feb. 1, going into Feb. 2. Police said Amanda had assaulted a family member at her Auburn Hills apartment, in front of her baby, before leaving. According to court records, she is in jail for domestic violence.
Amanda's mother, Vanessa Reina, had previously told FOX 2 that her daughter deals with mental health challenges. Reina declined another interview but said she is grateful that Amanda and Eliza were found safe, thanking those who made it happen.
Auburn Hills police teamed up with Warren police to locate Amanda and Eliza, but McGraw said the public played a big role.
"We had received a tip about a week ago that (Amanda) was seen at the laundromat," he said. "We followed up on that tip. Unfortunately, throughout the week, she never returned until Saturday."
Police were told that Amanda's two other children had been removed from her care due to her mental state; they are safe at other locations. Police were concerned for the safety of the baby due to her age, the conditions of her birth, Amanda's mental health, and previous contacts with CPS.
Eliza was born at home and has no documented birth records, according to police and Reina.
"At the time we took her into custody, she did not want to harm herself or… anybody else," McGraw said. "We couldn’t compel her to go seek help at that moment, but it’s going to be up to her. She’s going to want to get help."
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"Mandi, please," said Vanessa Reina, the mother of Amanda Prowell-Smith. "We want to help you."
"This was an outstanding example of teamwork between the public and the police. I am incredibly proud of all the officers and detectives who worked on this case and their relentless search for Amanda and Eliza," McGraw said. "I could not have asked for a better outcome to this search."