An Amber Alert has been issued in North Carolina in search of a pre-teen and a toddler who are believed to have been taken by an older man.
Authorities believe 49-year-old Jacob Grant Aaron Stepp abducted Alazay Shelby Rose, 12, and Kinley Maelena Stepp, 3, after they disappeared from Haywood County in western North Carolina late on Monday.
A communications officer for the Haywood County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) claims he is unsure of Jacob Stepp’s relationship to the girls.
Authorities last saw Alazay Rose and Kinley Stepp at a home on 99 Ben Medford Drive in Waynesville. Although the Amber Alert does not specify the circumstances of their abduction, authorities suspect Jacob Stepp is driving them in a 2016 white Dodge Challenger.
The description of the car includes black racing stripes and the North Carolina license plate number KMC5951.
Alazay Rose stands about 5 feet tall and weighs 100 pounds. The Amber Alert describes her as wearing a blue blouse and trousers, with black hair and blue eyes.
We describe Kinley Stepp as roughly 3 feet tall and weighing 45 pounds. Her description includes blonde hair, blue eyes, and a pink blouse and pants.
Jacob Stepp, the suspect, stands 6 feet tall and weighs 200 pounds. He has brown hair and green eyes. The Amber Alert also states that he has tattoos on both shoulders, although it does not specify what these tattoos are.
Although the notice covers all of North Carolina, the girls are believed to be on Cherokee tribe grounds.
The NC Center for Missing Persons, which “serves as the clearinghouse for information regarding missing children and adults,” has more information on the Amber notice, which the HCSO issued on Monday at 11:21 p.m.
Established in 1985, the North Carolina Center for Missing Persons assists law enforcement agencies at all levels, from local to federal, in locating missing individuals and reuniting them with their families.
People with information concerning Alazay Rose and Kinley Stepp’s location or the case should contact the Haywood County Sheriff’s Office immediately at (828) 452-6600 or phone 911.