AMBER ALERT CANCELED: 5-Month-Old Carl Copeland Has Been Found

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Photo credit Photo provided/Festus Police Department
Update: Festus Police tell KMOX that Reuther was found in the city of St. Louis. Investigators determined that she was not a threat to her son and he was not in any danger. Her black 2014 Ford Focus was found at an address near South Kingshighway and Tholozan.

Officers say 5-month-old Carl Copeland was taken from a home in Festus after "some type of altercation." Family members told police she made statements indicating she would harm the child. 

 

Update: The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children says the Amber Alert has been canceled. However, we have NOT been able to independently verify that with Missouri State Highway Patrol Headquarters, who issues the Amber Alerts, or the Festus Police Department, whose officers tell KMOX are not allowed to say anything on the record until Police Chief Tim Lewis arrives at 8 a.m.

 

From the Missouri State Highway Patrol:

The Festus Police Department has issued an Amber Alert for an abduction incident that occurred in the 700 block of Delmar St., in Festus, MO at 10:00pm on February 6th, 2019.

 

Abducted Is: Carl Copeland, Jr., a white male, age 5 months.

Vehicle Information: Update: The black 2014 Ford Focus bearing Missouri registration of SE9N0G has been located, however mother and child were not with the vehicle.

Possible suspect is believed to be: Margaret T. Reuther, a white female, age 35, height of 5'2", weight of 110 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes, wearing unknown clothing.

The abducted child is: Carl Copeland, Jr., is a white male, age 5 months, height of approximately 2'1", weight approximately 15 pounds, and has brown hair and brown eyes.  It is unknown what he was wearing at the time of abduction.

Brief circumstances regarding the abducted child incident: Reuther is the mother of the child.  She left the residence after getting into argument with child’s father and was  supposedly en route to a relative’s address at an unknown residence in Ellisville.  Reuther made statements that she was going to harm the child and then herself.  She has been diagnosed with a mental illness and is not taking her prescribed medication.  She is believed to be in the St. Louis area.

 

Anyone seeing the abducted child, suspect, associate, or vehicle, or anyone having any information related to the Amber Alert should immediately dial 911 to contact the nearest law enforcement agency or call the Festus Police Department at 636-937-3646.