ATLANTA,None — Authorities in South Carolina said they are growing more and more concerned about the whereabouts of an 18-month-old boy last seen around Thanksgiving in the Atlanta area.
Zinah Jennings disappeared with her son, Amir, police said. She was found after she was involved in a minor car accident in Columbia, S.C., on Christmas Eve, but the boy is still missing
Authorities said she is giving conflicting stories about where her son might be. Columbia police have charged her with cruelty to children as they continue the search for the child.
"She is still giving us inconsistent stories, and that is unfortunate. Our main concern is the whereabouts and the safety of this child right now and that we just really don't have any idea," Columbia Police Chief Randy Scott said. "She said at one hand the baby was in Atlanta, and another hand the baby was in Charlotte. We are researching both of those ideas. This is a child, so I didn't want to take anything to chance."
To aid in the case, Scott has called in the help of Atlanta based-FBI agents, who are following up on "good leads."
"There is information that there is a connection both to here in Atlanta and the Augusta area," Atlanta FBI spokesman Steve Emmett said Wednesday. "Certainly we want to go under the assumption that the child is still out there and may have been left with someone. But right now, we can't get into the details of the case."
Channel 2's Tony Thomas stopped by the southwest Atlanta home where Amir Jennings' aunt lives Wednesday, but she would not come to the door.
Neighbor Eugene Wallace said his wife and the child's aunt went to Columbia to visit Zinah Jennings in jail Tuesday.
He said he remembers the toddler playing in the neighborhood and appearing happy in the weeks before his mother left the area.
"I was just looking at his picture a while ago. I don't know what happened at all," Wallace said.
On Wednesday, Scott told a reporter from the Associated Press that he is trying to stay optimistic, but the case bothers him.
Authorities are pleading for anyone who knows where Amir is or may have spotted him in the past few weeks to call police.
Atlanta FBI agents said anyone with information can call them directly at 404-679-9000.
WSBTV
