Wynter Cole Smith’s Body Was Found in Detroit… The Search for Her is Still Going On

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The body of Wynter Cole Smith was discovered on the east side of Detroit, according to police in Lansing, who verified the news Wednesday night. “This is not the outcome anyone hoped for,” LPD Chief Ellery Sosebee stated at Lansing City Hall.

Police were able to call off their search for Wynter at roughly 6:50 p.m. near Detroit’s Coleman A. Young International Airport, he said, turning the investigation into a homicide probe. He said Lansing police will coordinate with Detroit police and other prosecutors to determine new charges.

After the two-minute news conference ended, Sosebee did not answer reporters’ queries. Reporters can expect an update from him as soon as possible, provided that doing so won’t compromise the ongoing inquiry. He expressed sympathy for Wynter’s loved ones and thanked the public for its efforts to locate her. A federal search team, he said, found her.

I assure you that the law enforcement will see to it that the family receives the justice they deserve, he said. Now that authorities have stopped looking for Wynter, Sosebee is pleading with the public to come forward with any leads they may have.

“Please continue to forward any new information, any digital evidence, any witnesses, witness statements, or any other pertinent information to the Lansing Police Department or the FBI,” he said.

The tweet below verifies the news:

Change of Time: 10:00 p.m.

The body of Wynter Cole Smith has been located in the east side of Detroit, according to authorities in Lansing.

Current time: 9:15 p.m.

Lansing police will hold a press conference at 10 p.m. on Wednesday at City Hall to discuss the disappearance of 2-year-old Wynter Cole Smith from the 3000 block of BeauJardin Drive on Sunday.

Police Have Not Released Any Additional information.

Here are some other links from the California Examiner that you may find interesting:

Public, Police Search Wednesday Afternoon for Wynter

DETROIT — On Wednesday, police looked for Wynter Cole Smith, a 2-year-old who has been missing since July 2, in the wooded areas below the Interstate 496 flyover at the Red Cedar River and U.S. 127.

After a man stabbed her mother late Sunday night, police suspect she was kidnapped. Rashad Trice, the suspect, was taken into jail early Monday morning in St. Clair Shores. Wynter’s mom was released from the hospital after her injuries were deemed to be non-life threatening.

From the nation’s capital to the city of Detroit, search teams have formed in an effort to aid the police and the child’s family in their search. Michigan residents have been combing through forests, medians, and other potential hiding spots for Wynter. More than 50 people have signed up with a charity organization to help in the search.

Jasmine Ellis, CEO and Founder of the Dock Ellis Foundation, has revealed that they have narrowed down their search areas by working with the family, Lansing Police, and the FBI.

To solve the case, “all it takes is the ability to partner with people and speak to law enforcement so we’re doing a process of elimination since the case is so fresh,” she explained.

Wynter Cole Smith's Body Was Found in Detroit (1)

Helping locate missing people of color is a primary mission of the Dock Ellis Foundation. Black and Missing Foundation co-founder Derrica Wilson urged the public to exhaust all possible leads in their search for Wynter. She said that people outside of the state are probably unaware of Wynter’s disappearance, therefore the need is greater for children of color.

The disappearance of Wynter has not yet reached “the mainstream” where everyone is aware of it, as Wilson put it. Just because she hasn’t been seen in Michigan lately doesn’t mean she’s still there. Based on Wynter’s age, the hunt is unprecedented, according to Ellis.

She emphasized the importance of waiting until law enforcement or groups like theirs could assemble with them to demonstrate the proper manner to do the search due to the child’s age. If we want to find out what’s going on and get her back home, we need to make sure everyone is on the same page and working together.

Synquiss Antes, a local of Lansing, has been coordinating the efforts of a search party. She informed the State Journal via Facebook Messenger that her crew began their search Tuesday at the Greater Lansing Veterinary Clinic in Williamston, Michigan, before moving on to check the highway medians and shoulders near the Williamston exit. After leaving Lansing, the police think Trice took that road.

We looked in every gas station and rest stop between here and Williamston. To broaden the search, we will meet again on Wednesday,” she added. We also checked the tunnels and creeks in the middle of the road that separate the two Williamston exits.

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How to Help Search Teams?

If you’re going to be looking for Wynter along the roadways, it might be helpful if you wore something bright and reflective. Antes urged her crew to search while prepared with fully charged phones, drink, sun protection gear, and appropriate footwear for walking through long grass and wet regions.

She warned her Facebook friends to “keep in mind that everything is a potential crime scene and to call the police immediately if they see anything.” Ellis also noted the need of teams maintaining constant communication with one another and keeping vigilant for anything out of the ordinary. She recommended bringing notebooks and cameras to keep track of experiences.

“When professional search teams go out, there’s a particular way that they’re doing things,” she explained. I get that people in the area want to lend a hand, but please be cautious not to obstruct any ongoing investigations.

What Routes did Trice Take?

  • Time estimates for Trice’s journey to St. Clair Shores have been supplied by the Lansing Police Department and the FBI (you can check the tweet below).
  • Trice was last seen between Lansing and Genoa Township between 11:20 p.m. on Sunday and 12:20 a.m. on Monday; at 12:50 a.m.,
  • He was near Lathrup Village via I-96; at 1:10 a.m. and 2:40 a.m.,
  • He took M-39 from Southfield to Detroit, where he has ties, and then back onto I-96.

He eventually made his way to St. Clair Shores, where he was apprehended by the police.

What led to Wynter’s Disappearance?

The Lansing Police Department was called to a residence in the 3000 block of Beau Jardin Drive at around 11 p.m. on Sunday, where they discovered a 22-year-old woman suffering from stab wounds and other symptoms of abuse.

She told authorities that Trice was the one she saw. She was taken to the hospital, treated for her injuries, and then sent home. Trice had been in a relationship with the lady before. The infant is not Trice’s biological daughter, according to the police.

Trice is suspected of taking Wynter, the victim’s missing 5-year-old daughter, and the victim’s white 2013 Chevrolet Impala, both of which were reported stolen at around 2 a.m. on Monday.

Shortly after 6 a.m., police in St. Clair Shores apprehended Trice following a brief pursuit that ended in a car wreck near the intersection of Little Mack Avenue and 10 Mile Road.

As the incident occurred in multiple jurisdictions, Sosebee told the State Journal that charges had not yet been decided. Lansing Police and the FBI have encouraged the public to refrain from posting false information about the search on social media.

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