'We just want our daughter back:' Amber Alert issued for 5-year-old Jackson Township girl
JACKSON TWP. – Local, state and federal authorities were searching Friday for a 5-year-old girl who left a store Thursday night with her 36-year-old neighbor and hadn't been seen since.
An Amber Alert was issued for Ana Grace Burke of Jackson Township outside of Canton just after 2 p.m. Friday.
She remained missing as of late Friday afternoon, Jackson Township Police Major Jim Monigold said.
Police issued a news release around 11:40 p.m. Thursday, followed by an endangered child advisory — not an Amber Alert — at 12:20 a.m. Friday.
Where were Ana Grace and Jonathan Lee Stinnett last seen?
Police said Jonathan Lee Stinnett and Ana Grace were last seen at 6:15 p.m. Thursday, at the Goodwill store at 7257 Fulton Drive NW across the street from the Jackson Township Police Department.
Stinnett and another individual with whom he lived were inside Goodwill when Stinnett said he was taking Burke to the restroom at the McDonald's across the parking lot from the store. Stinnett never returned with the child, leaving the person he was with behind.
According to the family's 911 call and missing person report, Stinnett is the child's neighbor at the Quail Hollow Apartments, and had permission to be with the child at the time.
“We just want our daughter back,” the mother’s boyfriend told police dispatchers during a 911 call.
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The girl was reported missing to police at 7:33 p.m.
According to the child’s parents during the 911 call, Stinnett and the person he was with were set to move out of their apartment and back to Michigan this weekend.
Why wasn't an Amber Alert immediately issued?
Monigold said an Amber Alert was requested but did not meet the criteria at the time, because there was no known threat to the child. It was unclear what circumstances changed prompting the Amber Alert Friday afternoon.
Police have also spoken with the child’s biological father.
The FBI, Ohio Attorney General's Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children are assisting Jackson Township police with the investigation.
Stinnett and Ana Grace are described as:
Jonathan Stinnett is white, stands 5-foot-11 and weighs 180 pounds. He has hazel eyes and brown hair. He was last seen in a maroon short sleeve shirt and blue jeans.
Ana Grace is white, stands 3-foot-9 and weighs 55 pounds. She has blue eyes and strawberry blond hair. She was last seen in a pink T-shirt and rainbow-colored pants.
The press release said Stinnett and Ana Grace may be in a silver 1991 Ford Aerostar SW (a station wagon) with Michigan license plates EHL7187.
Thursday afternoon, Ana Grace's family members were seen outside of Goodwill, holding a missing person flier with the child's photo. The child's family declined to speak at the time.
Anyone who may have seen these individuals should contact the Jackson Township Police Department at 330-834-3960 or the Regional Emergency Dispatch Center at 330-837-9346.
This story will be updated.
Includes reporting by staff writer Ben Duer.
Reach Cassandra at cnist@gannett.com; Twitter @Cassienist
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Jackson Township police looking for a missing adult and child
