The Texas stepfather who claimed that he, his 2-year-old son and his 4-year-old stepdaughter Maleah Davis were abducted by three men in a blue pickup truck over the weekend is now considered a person if interest in the case. Davis still hasn’t been found.
Sugar Land Police have told reporters that Darion Vence changed or told “conflicting stories” about what what happened last Friday. For example, police said, Vence first claimed that he walked to hospital and later said that someone dropped him off there.
Police started circulating images on Saturday, including one of Vence identifying him as a victim of an assault.
Sgt. Mark Holbrook provided more details in a press conference on Sunday. Vence claimed to have been driving his kids in their mother’s car to pick her up from the George Bush Intercontinental Airport when he heard a “popping noise” (like a flat tire) and stopped the car.
“According to Darion, what happens next is a blue pickup truck pulls up behind him, two Hispanic males get out,” Holbrook said. “One of them makes a comment, saying that Maleah looks very nice, looks very sweet. The other male hits Darion in the head. Darion loses consciousness.”
2/2: Photo of assault victim, Mr. Darion Vence, who is Maleah’s stepfather, stated he was unconscious for almost 24 hrs. Detectives ask anyone who saw Darion or Maleah after 9 pm Friday (May 3) to 6 pm on Sat to contact HPD Homicide 713-308-3600 or @CrimeStopHOU at 713-222-TIPS. pic.twitter.com/nuZHA1EQPY
— Houston Police (@houstonpolice) May 5, 2019
Holbrook also said that Vence claimed he was aware that he, his son, and Maleah were in the back of the truck, and that there were three Hispanic males in the vehicle. Vence said he was knocked out and drifted in and out of consciousness for 24 hours (until about 6 p.m. on Saturday) before walking to the hospital with his 2-year-old son on because no one helped them.
Vence said he arrived at the hospital between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. that night.
“I realize there’s a lot of blanks in that story, but we’re hoping the public can fill in the blanks,” Holbrook said.
“The father is the last person that we know was with the child, so of course we’ve looked at him, and that’s why we’re out here checking his story, because he said he was out here on Greens Road, and he lives down in the Sugar Land area, and he was at the hospital in Sugar Land,” Houston Homicide Det. Ken Fregia added.
The National Center for Missing Exploited Children described Maleah as African-American with black hair and brown eyes. She stands about 3-feet tall and weighs 30 to 40 pounds. The mother’s vehicle–which Vence had been driving–is missing, said police. Holbrook said it was last seen in Sugarland, Texas at roughly 3 p.m. on Saturday.
Better quality, color photo taken by traffic camera of the stolen Nissan Altima with tags 330-92G9. #hounewspic.twitter.com/UizXnhIC4h
— Houston Police (@houstonpolice) May 5, 2019
Officers also released a picture showing a truck resembling the vehicle described in Vence’s story. Cops said the vehicle was “a 2010 blue Chevrolet crew cab pickup truck.”
The missing child and her two brothers were removed from their home in 2018 after allegations of physical abuse.
Maleah’s mother Brittany Bowens said Child Protective Services determined that a head injury her daughter suffered was caused by a fall, ABC13 reported.
Bowens begged authorities on Monday to “find my baby,” adding that Maleah is a “sweet girl” who “loves to dance.”
“She’s always happy,” Bowens said. “She’s very helpful […] she has a beautiful spirit.”
Maleah recently had brain surgery.
Alberto Luperon contributed to this report.
[Image via Houston Police Department]
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