As Texas authorities continue to search for 5-year-old Maleah Davis, her mother is speaking out, asking for answers that will help her find her little girl, amid reports that the child was taken away from Child Protective Services the previous year.
“My spirit is broken. I feel so lost,” Maleah’s mother, Brittany Bowens, told ABC 13 Houston. “I can’t concentrate. I can’t focus. It’s just … it’s so overwhelming for me. It doesn’t seem real.”
The mother’s heartbreaking words were expressed while reports surfaced that Maleah and her two younger siblings were removed from the family home last year after allegations that the girl’s head injury happened due to physical abuse. The children were returned in February, according to the outlet.
During a Sunday afternoon press conference, Sargent Mark Holbrook with the Houston Police Department announced that 5-year-old Maleah Davis developed a traumatic brain injury that required numerous surgeries. He added that at the time, he didn’t have any information that pointed toward abuse.
“Maleah has had multiple brain surgeries, most recently end of March, early April, to fix the flap for her injury, so that the flap will grow at the same rate as her skull. I wouldn’t call her special needs, but she’s needed a lot of care. And she was sick this week too.”
Bowens reportedly insisted that Mariah’s head injury was the result of a fall, according to the outlet.
Meanwhile, Texas Equusearch, a non-profit organization dedicated to finding missing children, has in the search efforts to find Maleah.
Vence told police he had two children in the car, his toddler son and stepdaughter Maleah, and was on his way to the George Bush Intercontinental Airport to pick up the children’s mother.
Vence said he pulled over to check the tires on his vehicle and within a few minutes, three unknown Hispanic males pulled up in a blue 2010 Chevrolet crew cab pickup. Vence said two men got out of the truck, and while one made comments about Maleah, the other reportedly struck him in the head.
“On of them makes a comment and says, ‘Maleah looks very nice, very sweet,’” Holbrook said, referring to the stepfather’s version of events. “The other man hits Darion in the head. Darion loses consciousness. Darion is able to wake up during a period of time and he was in the back of the blue truck.”
Around 6 p.m. on Saturday, Vence, in and out of consciousness, woke up to find himself and his son on Highway 6 in Sugar Land with his 1-year-old son, according to what he told authorities. Maleah was not with him. Vence said he walked to Methodist Hospital in Sugar Land and arrived around 11 p.m. on Saturday.
The car Vence was driving Friday, which belongs to Maleah’s mother, was spotted on security footage Saturday afternoon at around 2 p.m. driving around Sugar Land. The vehicle is also missing. According to the police, the car has a temporary license tag, with number, 330-92G9.
Better quality, color photo taken by traffic camera of the stolen Nissan Altima with tags 330-92G9. #hounews pic.twitter.com/UizXnhIC4h
— Houston Police (@houstonpolice) May 5, 2019
“The motive in the kidnapping incident and its original north Houston location are unknown at this time. Investigators have been interviewing family members throughout the morning,” Houston police said earlier on Sunday.
2/2: Photo of assault victim, Mr. Darion Vence, who is Maleah's stepfather, stated he was unconscious for almost 24 hrs. Detectives ask anyone who saw Darion or Maleah after 9 pm Friday (May 3) to 6 pm on Sat to contact HPD Homicide 713-308-3600 or @CrimeStopHOU at 713-222-TIPS. pic.twitter.com/nuZHA1EQPY
— Houston Police (@houstonpolice) May 5, 2019
Maleah is described as a black female who was last seen wearing sneakers, a light blue zip-up jacket, blue jeans, and a pink bow in her hair. She stands 3 feet tall and weighs around 30 to 40 pounds.
According to Holbrook, family members ended up picking up the children’s mother from the airport, who never reported the children missing herself. Holbrook added that police have talked to Maleah’s biological father, who has been cooperative in the investigation and hasn’t been named a suspect.
Anyone with any information is urged to contact authorities immediately the Houston Police Department at (713) 308-3600 or Crime Stoppers at (713) 222-TIPS.
The story is still developing. Check back with CrimeOnline as additional details become available.
[Feature Photo: Maleah Davis/Police Handout]
