Expand / Collapse search
☰

Missing Wynter Smith: FBI offering $25,000 reward in search for Lansing 2-year-old

By Jack Nissen
Published  July 4, 2023 4:44pm EDT
Missing Persons
FOX 2 Detroit

Suspect won't reveal location of missing Lansing toddler

The search for Wynter Smith continues after the 2-year-old was taken from her home in Lansing late Sunday night. The man who took her has since been arrested, but Smith is nowhere to be found.

LANSING, Mich. (FOX 2) - The FBI is offering a $25,000 reward for information leading to the discovery of Wynter Smith, a 2-year-old from Lansing who has been missing since Sunday evening.

The toddler was taken by her mom's ex-boyfriend after he stabbed her, before he fled to Southeast Michigan. He was eventually arrested after fleeing police and crashing. The missing 2-year-old was not with him.

"Wynter is one of our kids and we won't rest until we find her," said Police Chief Ellery Sosebee during a press conference Tuesday afternoon.

Sosebee said local and state police have since partnered with federal law enforcement in their search for the 2-year-old, which has included canvassing the nearby homes where she was taken, door knocks, drones, helicopters, dive teams, K-9 units, and interviews with associates of 26-year-old Rashad Trice.

Lansing, FBI continue searching for missing 2-year-old

Wynter Smith is still missing more than two days after she was kidnapped by her mom's ex-boyfriend in Lansing. He has since been arrested and is hospitalized at a Detroit medical center.

Trice allegedly stabbed Smith's mother Sunday night multiple times. The victim managed to escape the assault and ran to a neighbor's house, before authorities were called. It unfolded around 11 p.m. on July 2. 

By the time authorities arrived, Trice had left in the victim's white Chevrolet Impala and Smith was nowhere to be found. 

In addition to their search efforts, police have also asked anyone who saw anything mysterious on Trice's suspected route from Lansing to Metro Detroit, which includes eastbound I-96 and eastbound I-94, to tell police. 

During a press conference in Lansing, Sosebee also encouraged anyone who has property along the route to do a sweep of the area.

"If you have any property or work on any property close to the route, please take some time to look around and call if you see anything out of place or unusual," said the Lansing police chief. "We will stay the course, we will continue to investigate this case to the fullest of our capabilities."

Since his arrest, Trice has been hospitalized at a Detroit-area hospital under guard by Lansing police. Sosebee only confirmed that officers were continuing to interview him and he was expected to be transported to Lansing.

More Coverage

He's charged with multiple crimes across several jurisdictions, those the police chief would not go into detail.

Smith's mom has since been released from the hospital and is recovering.