Texas Amber Alert canceled; 5-year-old abducted by family friend found safe, deputies say
A 5-year-old East Texas boy was found safe Monday more than 12 hours after he was abducted by a family friend, authorities said.
Zacharian Sutton was found in Mitchell County near Colorado City, according to a Facebook post by the Smith County Sheriff’s Office. Colorado City is about 370 mile west of Overton, where Zacharian lives with his family. Colorado City is just a few miles west of Abilene.
Authorities have not released any other details and did not say whether the suspect has been found.
A 59-year-old family friend took the 5-year-old boy to buy toys for his birthday on Sunday, but she never returned him home, a deputy with the Smith County Sheriff’s Office said Monday.
An Amber Alert was issued Monday for Zacharian, who had last been seen about 11 a.m. Sunday in the 23,400 block of Farm Market 838 near Overton. The town is about 155 miles east of Fort Worth.
Authorities said they had reason to believe Zacharian was in danger because of the mental state of the suspect. She is believed to have issues with narcotics, authorities said, but deputies did not provide any details.
The suspect in the case has been identified as Pamela Medlock, 59.
“She came over to visit with the family and then told them she was going to take Zacharian shopping for toys for his birthday,” said Sgt. Jason Railsback with the Smith County Sheriff’s Office in Tyler in a Monday news conference. “The family had no reason to believe she wouldn’t bring him back.”
At about 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Zacharian and Medlock were spotted at a Walmart in Tyler. Authorities received information that they bought toys and blankets with cash.
“He doesn’t appear to be scared (in surveillance video,)” Railsback said.
The Jeep Wrangler that Medlock owns was seen in Kaufman County at about 5 p.m. Sunday, traveling west as if she was headed to Dallas, authorities said. The Wrangler was bought by Medlock with cash after she sold a home in Dallas, deputies said.
The family kept waiting all day Sunday and called deputies at about 3:30 a.m. Monday.
This story was originally published November 21, 2022 at 7:46 AM.
