The Enterprise Police Department continues the search for two-year-old Genesis Reid, the toddler reported missing on February 16.
The child’s mother, Adrienne Reid, told police she believed her daughter walked out of the apartment in the middle of the night. However, police asked anyone who saw the toddler in the 30 days prior to her disappearance to contact investigators. Adrienne Reid was then arrested and charged with providing false information to law enforcement and was booked into the Coffee County Jail. Her bond was set at $1 million cash.
Searchers have been focused on Apache Drive, where the child lives, although Moore said that is part of a standard search and no evidence has been found in that area.
Police chief Michael Moore said the case has taken an emotional toll on first responders.
“All of us, just about 90-something percent of us have kids, and even if they’re older, some of us are expecting our first grandbabies,” said Moore. “It’s tough. So, lack of sleep, emotional trauma. It gets to us. So, yes. We’re all feeling it and we just want her home.”
Police are asking for information from a person of interest named “Moriah,” who is a frequent customer at Levels Bar and Grille in Enterprise.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Enterprise Police Department at 334-347-2222.
The Enterprise Police Department (EPD) briefed the press on the state of the search for the missing 2-year-old Genesis Reid.
Authorities say they have not scaled back the search. They’re approaching the search methodically and will continue working to locate Genesis through the weekend. Agencies across the state are working together to bring Genesis home, including the FBI.
“It’s very emotional all of us, just about 90 percent of us have kids,” said EPD Chief Michael Moore. “We will search anywhere leads take us.”
Reid was reported missing by her mother, Adrienne Reid, 33, on Monday, Feb. 16. Reid claims that she found the door to their apartment open and said Genesis walked out by herself around 3 a.m. As EPD was searching the surrounding area, they noticed inconsistencies in the information provided by Reid, prompting a more intensive investigation.
They now say that Genesis has not been seen by anyone in several weeks. While Genesis’ father and family cooperate with the search, Reid has been arrested for False Reporting to Law Enforcement Authorities.
Reid has been taken to Coffee County Jail, where her bond set to $1 million—cash only. If she were to make bond, Reid would have to comply with strict conditions like GPS monitoring, daily check-ins and more.
During the press conference, EPD officials were asked if they thought Adrienne Reid would be charged similarly to another person from Coffee County. In 2018, Malcolm Hunter was convicted of killing his girlfriend and sentenced to life in prison for her murder, all without investigators ever finding a body.
“Every case is different,” Moore said in response. “It’s too soon to speculate.”
Speculation has apparently ran rampant in the discussions surrounding the search for Genesis.
“Officials also addressed the spread of misinformation surrounding the case, noting that speculation and unverified claims circulating online can interfere with an active investigation,” EPD wrote in a statement on Facebook. “The public is encouraged to rely on official updates released by the Enterprise Police Department.”
Additionally, they clarified that although they are looking for a “Moriah” as a person of interest, it is not the person of the same name who lives near Genesis and Reid.
“Moriah” is described as a Black woman wanted for questioning in relation to Genesis’ disappearance. In another Facebook statement, they said that this woman is a frequent customer at Levels Bar and Grille on Dadeville Ave in Enterprise. Although police want to speak with her, they’ve emphasized that she’s not currently a suspect.
“The individual who resides in the same area as Genesis and has been referred to as ‘Mariah’ is not the individual investigators are seeking,” Moore said. “That person has been fully cooperative, is considered a witness in this matter, and is not a suspect. We ask the public to refrain from speculation and allow innocent individuals to go about their lives without harassment.”
Part of the search efforts for Genesis included a search around their house on Apache Drive with certified cadaver dogs from the East Alabama K9 Search and Rescue. No evidence was gained from the search with the K9 unit, and EPD Chief Michael Moore says that it was simply a standard investigation measure.
Two digital billboards with Genesis’ picture and information have gone up in Enterprise with the assistance of the Alabama Cold Case Advocacy (ACCA), a state-wide nonprofit organization. The billboards are located at Highway 167 North and Highway 84, both at the Boll Weevil Cr. intersection.
If you want to show your support to the community, a candlelight vigil is being held on Friday, Feb. 20, at 7 p.m. The community asks that you come with a sense of unity and a light source at Bates Memorial Stadium on East Watts St. The gates open at 6:30 p.m.
“The eyes of the nation are on Enterprise, and our hearts are with little Genesis,” said Enterprise Mayor William E. Cooper, Sr. “This story has touched people far and wide, and we all pray for the same thing, that God protects her and brings her through this safely. Our community has always come together in times of trouble, and now is no different. I ask you to keep praying. Pray for Genesis, pray for our law enforcement, and pray for everyone involved in this case, that God may guide them and keep this little girl safe.”
