Missing Knoxville 2-year-old, Elton Bailey, found safe

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — UPDATE: The Knoxville Police Department said Elton Bailey and the Ford Explorer have both been located and Bailey is safe. 

KPD said it was reported to the department around 5:25 p.m. on Sunday that a gold 2002 Ford Explorer had been stolen from a home on Old State Road. KPD said Bailey was still inside the vehicle. 

“It was further reported that Elton was with his grandfather, who briefly stopped at the home on Old State Road, quickly went inside the home, and left the Ford Explorer running with Elton still inside the vehicle,” KPD said. 

When Bailey’s grandfather came out of the house, the Explorer was gone and had presumably been stolen, the department said. 

“KPD Special Crimes Unit detectives responded to the scene while a large-scale search effort was mobilized, which included dozens of Field Operations and Investigations Bureau Officers as well as the KPD Search and Rescue and UAV teams,” KPD said in a release. 

The search effort was also assisted by the Knox County Sheriff’s Office, including KCSO AirWatch, The Tennessee Highway Patrol, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. 

KPD said search efforts persisted for well over three hours with no verified sightings of the Explorer until assisting KCSO personnel found the vehicle in a muddy construction site near 212 Pelham Park Road. The department said this was just a short distance from where the SUV was reportedly last seen. 

“The car was still running and Elton was found safe and unharmed inside of the vehicle,” the release said. “The Special Crimes Unit is continuing their investigation to determine if somebody did briefly attempt to steal the vehicle or if it was potentially left in gear and rolled down several ravines into the construction area where it was found.”

PREVIOUS STORY: An Amber Alert has been issued after the Knoxville Police Department began searching for a 2-year-old child who was reportedly inside a gold Ford Explorer when it was stolen. 

The vehicle was stolen on Old State Road, KPD said. Anyone who sees the vehicle or child below is asked to call 911 immediately.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said Elton Bailey, was last seen in Knoxville wearing a gray shirt and pants. 

“He’s 3′, 35 lbs, w/blonde hair & blue eyes,” TBI said. 

This story is developing and will be updated as more information is available.