The search for a missing four-year old boy from Pulaski County and his alleged abductor has ended, with both being located in Ohio early this morning.
The child, Lance Webb Jr., was surrendered to authorities in Galion, Ohio, shortly after midnight by his biological father, and appeared to be in good health. The suspect, Christopher Wetherall, 30, was arrested in Galion at approximately 6 a.m. without incident.
The Pulaski County Sheriff's Department was initially notified by the Children's Division of the Missouri Department of Social Services on Friday afternoon that Lance's mother, Amber Edgison, suspected her son had been kidnapped by Wetherall.
Initially, Ms. Edgison had given consent to Wetherall, who was her friend, to care for the young boy while she was in Army Basic Training. When she tried to have a family member care for her son, Wetherall allegedly kidnapped the child and ended communications with her. According to Edgison, Wetherall is neither the biological nor custodial parent of her son.
While investigating the case, Pulaski County officers developed evidence that Wetherall was in Ohio. He is currently being held in the Galion Police Department's Jail on a Pulaski County arrest warrant for suspicion of child kidnapping. His bond is set at $250,000.
Pulaski County Sheriff Ronald Long reports the extradition process to bring Wetherall back to Missouri will begin Monday. The sheriff says, unless further investigation indicates otherwise, it appears that the child's biological father, who is an Ohio resident, was not involved with the kidnapping; therefore, no criminal charges are expected to be filed against him.