On June 30, 2018, LCSO Deputies were able to locate and recover three children who had been the subject of an Amber Alert. The recovery was made possible with the help of a concerned motorist. The Alert had been issued for the children who were last seen in Volusia County, Florida.
Saturday morning a motorist called the LCSO Communications Center to report seeing a vehicle similar to the white 2010 Suzuki Grand Vitara that was specified in the Alert. The motorist reported that the vehicle was traveling east through the Town of Bronson on U.S. Alternate 27. The motorist was only able to provide a partial license plate number.
Deputies Mike Sinclair and Ryan Sullivan were dispatched to the area in an attempt to locate the vehicle. The deputies spotted the vehicle on 27 outside of Bronson. At approximately 9:00 A.M. they initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle. During the traffic stop the deputies confirmed that it was the correct vehicle and the missing children were inside.
Personnel from the Levy County Department of Public Safety responded to the scene and checked the welfare of the children. None of the children required hospitalization, and the LCSO Victim Advocate took custody of the children to facilitate reunification with their mother. The driver, Venita Porter-Carter, was detained for further evaluation.
LCSO is happy to play a part in the successful resolution of this case. It demonstrates the importance of citizen involvement in the law enforcement mission.