Missing 2-year-old found in Marion County

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

photo Amber Alert
Arkansas-Ole Miss Live Blog

Tennessee state troopers located a missing 2-year old boy this afternoon after a statewide Amber Alert was issued.

The boy, identified as Cael Whitehead, of Houston County, was found unharmed with Austin Whitehead, 23, of Covington, Ga., on Interstate 24 eastbound at mile marker 153 in Marion County, according to a news release from the Tennessee Highway Patrol.

Austin Whitehead was arrested and taken to the Marion County Jail, authorities said.

At about 3 p.m., the Houston County Sheriff's Office contacted the Tennessee Highway Patrol's Chattanooga Communications Center to advise that a citizen had observed the suspect vehicle on Interstate 24 near mile marker 105, the news release stated.

Highway Patrol dispatchers also made contact with the citizen, who confirmed the suspect's vehicle description and license plate number, authorities said.

Trooper William Collins observed the suspect vehicle at the 151 mile marker, where a pair of truckers were attempting to slow down the vehicle. Trooper Collins, with the assistance of Highway Patrol Sgt. Matt Minter and Marion County Sheriff's Office units, stopped the suspect vehicle without incident at about 3:28 p.m.

Cael Whitehead was taken into custody by the state's Department of Children's Services, the news release stated.