After a hours-long search, a missing toddler was recovered and the suspect in an Amber Alert chase was captured around 6:30 p.m. Wednesday in Richland County. Neither was injured.
The pair were found in a wooded area around Taylor and Washington North Road in Mansfield. The suspect, Robert D. Beane, came out from a tent and surrendered peacefully to authorities. He is currently being held in the Richland County Jail.
The toddler, Robert Beane Jr., is in good health. He was taken to Mansfield Hospital to be checked out.
WKYC's Amani Abraham filed the following update on Facebook Live:
During a press conference at the Lucas Community Center shortly before 8 p.m. Wednesday, Capt. Jim Sweat of the Richland County Sheriff's office said Beane was captured in a wooded area approximately a half-mile to a mile from the crash site "by a conglomerate of task force members" from the U.S. Marshals, the FBI and the Richland County ASORT (Allied Special Response Team).
"The gentleman surrendered immediately without incident and at that time the child was also taken into custody," Sweat said. The child had no visible injuries, but was taken to a medical facility for evaluation. Beane was taken to the Richland County Jail.
Sweat attributed the capture to "boots on the ground."
"It was amazing," Sweat said. "I was one of the first units at the scene along with a trooper from the State Highway Patrol, and I would say within the first 15 minutes to 20 minutes we had anywhere from 30 to 40 personnel at the scene and that grew to, probably by the time we were done, I would say in excess of 150 to 200 personnel at the scene."
The highway patrol had three aircraft at the scene over the course of the search, including two airplanes and a helicopter. The Ontario Police Department made drones available.
"Any incident involving a child gets the top priority on any call — we all want our children to be safe," Sweat said. "I'm just proud and God bless that everything came out the way that it did. I mean, we couldn't ask for a better turn out and a better outcome here today."
Richland County Prosecutor Gary Bishop said Beane would remain in the county jail.
"We do anticipate charges," Bishop said. "Nothing conclusive at this point — we don't want to jump the gun — but we are certainly considering kidnapping, child endangering, receiving stolen property, fleeing and eluding, things of that nature."
SWAT units from the U.S. Marshals Office, the FBI and the Ohio Highway Patrol, plus Richland County ASORT, worked together during the search.
At about 4 a.m. Wednesday, Beane allegedly stole a 2018 Camaro in Elyria. He then went to his girlfriend’s home in Lorain at about 5:30 a.m.
The AMBER Alert was issued by the Lorain Police Department on Wednesday morning.
According to the alert, Beane, 27, allegedly abducted his 10-month-old son, Robert Beane Jr., at 5:30 a.m. Wednesday after "pistol-whipping" the boy's mother in the 900 block of Central Drive in Lorain.
Combs said he spotted the Camaro in Shelby early Wednesday morning after law enforcement received word Beane might have been in the Shelby area, and Combs went in an unmarked car to check that location.
Beane wasn't there, and Combs called a deputy U.S. marshal to give an update. While on the phone, Combs spotted the vehicle.
"We started calling for additional resources," Combs said. "We had kind of finite resources at that time, and our concern was for the safety of the child, so we didn't want to spook him or initiate a chase at that time."
Combs said a high-speed pursuit started, with law enforcement agencies, including the Mansfield Police Department, Richland County Sheriff's Office and Ohio Highway Patrol, losing the vehicle and picking it back up several times.
Combs said he wasn't sure of the route traveled, "but he made it through the City of Mansfield in pretty good time." He added the vehicle was seen on U.S. 42 headed toward Ashland.
The chase ended in a crash at 2112 Mansfield Lucas Road. A resident reporting seeing Beane exit the vehicle with the child and fleeing west on foot.
Whitney Swinehart's had just put her kids down for a nap when she heard a crash out her front door on Mansfield Lucas Road. "An African American gentleman came out of the car and fled to the back of our property with an infant," Swinehart told WKYC's Dawn Kendrick.
"He was carrying the baby like a football and definitely seemed panicked," Swinehart added.
Early Wednesday afternoon, Mansfield Lucas Road, Sauder Drive and Keefer Road were all blocked. Two planes were circling over the neighborhood, including one from the Ohio Highway Patrol.
Mansfield and Ontario police set up command units at Will Avenue and Sauder Drive. A negotiator from the Ohio Highway Patrol was at the scene. SWAT officers were seen converging at Rummel and Mansfield Lucas roads.
PHOTOS | Police search in Richland County for Amber Alert suspect
"it was pretty intense seeing law enforcement with weapons and guns coming through your property," says Swinehart.
Units from the Richland County Sheriff's Office, Ohio Highway Patrol and the Mansfield, Shelby and Ontario police were among those at the scene. Most of the officers at the scene were wearing bullet-proof vests and were armed with rifles.
"I think every police man in the state of Ohio was here today," says Ed Bartram. Bartram lives not far from the Swineharts in the area SWAT teams had blocked off.
Ed met one of those officers. "He said stay on your property. But keep your guns loaded and your garage door closed," was the warning.
Combs said he was unsure if any officers saw a weapon with the suspect.
"We do believe that this morning, he is likely in possession of a weapon because he did pistol-whip the mother of the child, so we believe him to be in possession of a weapon," he said.
Earlier this week, WKYC's Tom Meyer investigated the circumstances of Beane's escape from police custody. Ray Strickland continued our reporting on Beane's background below:
