Alexious Higgs 3 Reported Missing From Hospital (SAFE)

[trimmonthelake]

http://www.clickorlando.com/news/21632060/detail.html
Boy, 3, Reported Missing From Hospital
Child Last Seen With Acquaintance Of Mother, Police Say

POSTED: Monday, November 16, 2009
UPDATED: 5:33 pm EST November 16, 2009
ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. -- Authorities in Altamonte Springs on Monday are searching for a 3-year-old who was reported missing after going to a hospital with his mother, police said.

According to Altamonte Springs police, Brittany Higgs said she suffered an injury and went to Florida Hospital Altamonte with her son, Alexious Higgs.

Alexious was being watched by Vincent M. Marchese, 31, of Malabar, an acquaintance of Brittany Higgs, police said.

Marchese and Alexious were last seen heading to a vending machine, police said. Brittany Higgs said Marchese did not have permission to take her son, according to police.
Alexious was only described as being 39 pounds.

Altamonte Springs police said they're searching for a blue Dodge van with the license plate 323 MFZ.

An Amber Alert has not been issued.

Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.

[trimmonthelake]

http://www.myfoxorlando.com/dpp/news/orange_news/111609-Search-underway-for-missing-child
Search underway for missing child

Updated: Monday, 16 Nov 2009, 5:27 PM EST
Published : Monday, 16 Nov 2009, 5:24 PM EST

ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35) - Law enforcement officers throughout metropolitan Orlando are searching for a missing child. The 3-year-old was taken by an acquaintance of the family, Vincent Michael Marchese, 30. The nature of the relationship between Marchese and the family is unknown at this time.

The mother, Britney Hicks, went to Florida Hospital Altamonte with the child and the Marchese went with them to support her and watch the child. The suspect ended up leaving with the child and the car, which belongs to the child's grandmother. He did so without permission from Hicks, according to the Altamonte Springs Police Department.
Marchese is driving on a suspended driver's license in a blue Dodge van, with a Florida tag of 323MFZ. He could possibly be staying at 316 Conch Shell Lane, apartment 200. The appartment complex is Sandpiper Apartments in Casselberry. He could also be at his grandmother's resident at the Sanford Center on Orange Drive in Altamonte Springs. The suspect also likes to frequent parks in the Winter Park area.

The child has been identified as Alexiou Higgs. He is 3 feet tall, 39 pounds and last seen wearing a grey t-shirt and light blue jean shorts. The child was last seen around 1:30 p.m. on Monday afternoon.

[trimmonthelake]

Video    http://www.clickorlando.com/video/21632362/index.html

Vincent M. Marchese, 31,

[trimmonthelake]

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/breakingnews/os-child-missing-hospital-20091116,0,423176.story
Report: Child, 3, disappears from Florida Hospital Altamonte
November 16, 2009
Police are looking for a 31-year-old man who may have taken a 3-year-old boy from Florida Hospital Altamonte while the boy's mother was being treated for an injury, Web sites are reporting.

Vincent M. Marchese, apparently a friend of the mother, only had permission to watch the boy, not take him anywhere, according to news Web sites.

Marchese and the boy, Alexious Higgs, were last seen heading to a vending machine at the hospital while the boy's mother, Brittany Higgs, was getting treated for an undisclosed injury, according to Local6.com.

WFTV.com said police are looking for a blue 1995 Dodge van. Marchese allegedly took the child and is driving the van. The tag number is 323 MFZ.

A spokesperson for the hospital would not comment to the Orlando Sentinel.

Marchese was arrested Friday on counts of failure to appear in court and driving with a license suspended or revoked, Seminole County Sheriff's spokesman Kim Cannaday said. He was released Saturday.

Check back for updates.

[trimmonthelake]

http://www.cfnews13.com/News/Local/2009/11/16/child_3_taken_from_hospital.html
 Child, 3, Taken From Hospital
Monday, November 16, 2009 6:17:10 PM
ALTAMONTE SPRINGS -- Police in Altamonte Springs are looking for a 3-year-old child who disappeared from Florida Hospital Altamonte.

Police say a man was accompanying the mother and the child, Alexiou Higgs, to the hospital.

Vincent Marchese, 30, was supposed to be watching the child. Officials say he has no authority to take the child.

Marchese and the boy are in a van belonging to the boy’s grandmother.

Jail records show Marchese was in jail as recently as Friday, Nov. 13.  He was charged with driving with a suspended license.

Marchese has also previously been charged several times with drug possession and robbery.

[trimmonthelake]

Haven't seen any photos of the child yet. 

[trimmonthelake]

http://www.wesh.com/news/21632264/detail.html

Police Seeking Boy, 3, Who Disappeared From Hospital
Mother Said She Left Child With Man

POSTED: 5:30 pm EST November 16, 2009
UPDATED: 6:34 pm EST November 16, 2009
ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. -- Altamonte Springs police are looking for a 3-year-old boy who was reported missing from Florida Hospital Altamonte.
According to police, they are looking for a man who took the child, Alexou Higgs, after his mother went to the hospital to be treated.

The mother told police the man -- whom she knows -- did not have permission to take the boy.

The man is identified as Vincent Marchese, 30, and police are looking for a blue 1995 Dodge Caravan with the license plate of 323-MFZ.
It has been three hours since the child and man were last seen, police said at about 5:30 p.m. Police said Marchese has an extensive criminal history, which also has them concerned.

Refresh your browser or check back for details.

[trimmonthelake]

They have updated the spelling of his name to  Alexiou Higgs.




Klaas,could you please fix his name in the thread .   
Hopefully they won't change it again.

[trimmonthelake]

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/breakingnews/os-child-missing-hospital-20091116,0,423176.story
Child, 3, disappears from Florida Hospital Altamonte

<snipped>
"Right now he's not in any trouble," Pelton said of Marchese. "If he sees this, we're trying to make contact with him. Let us know if you're OK."

Higgs thought Marchese was going to a vending machine with Alexiou.

Police are looking for a blue 1995 Dodge Caravan they think Marchese is driving, tag number is 323 MFZ. He does not have permission to use the van, which is owned by one of his relatives, Pelton said.

Investigators have reviewed hospital security recordings, but did not disclose what they showed.

A spokesperson for the hospital did not comment to the Orlando Sentinel.

Marchese was arrested Friday on counts of failure to appear in court and driving with a license suspended or revoked, Seminole County Sheriff's spokesman Kim Cannaday said. He was released Saturday.

Marchese has served prison time on cocaine possession, attempted robbery and escape counts, according to state Department of Corrections records. He was last released Jan. 2008.

[trimmonthelake]

MARCHESE, VINCENT M

http://www.dc.state.fl.us/InmateReleases/detail.asp?From=list&Bookmark=1

[trimmonthelake]

http://www.helpfindthemissing.org/forum/showthread.php?p=691150

Alexiou Higgs

[trimmonthelake]

Updated: 7:23 pm EST November 16, 2009

ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. --

Police are looking as far away as Gainesville for a man accused of taking a 3-year-old child from Florida Hospital Altamonte on Monday afternoon. Police are on the lookout for a blue Dodge van that Vincent Marchese, who allegedly took the child, was reportedly driving.

Police say Marchese, who is 30 years old and whose last known address is listed as Winter Park, took the 3-year-old boy from the hospital Monday afternoon after the child's mother went there to be treated around 3:30pm. Officers say Marchese does know the boy's mother, identified as 22-year-old Brittany Higgs, but he did not have permission to take the child.


more at link: http://www.wftv.com/news/21631876/detail.html

[trimmonthelake]

http://www.cfnews13.com/News/Local/2009/11/16/child_3_taken_from_hospital.html

 Boy, 3, Taken From Hospital Found
Monday, November 16, 2009 8:12:19 PM
ALTAMONTE SPRINGS -- Police have located a 3-year-old child who disappeared from Florida Hospital Altamonte Monday afternoon.

Police say a man was accompanying Brittany Higgs and her child, Alexiou Higgs, to the hospital.

Vincent Marchese, 30, was supposed to be watching the child. Officials say he had no authority to take the child.

Marchese and the boy may be in a 1995 blue Dodge Caravan with Tag #323MFZ.  The vehicle belongs to Alexiou's grandmother.

Jail records show Marchese was in jail as recently as Friday, Nov. 13.  He was charged with driving with a suspended license.

Marchese has also previously been charged several times with drug possession and robbery.

The relationship between the mother and Marchese is not clear.  On Monday, Brittany Higgs told officers Marchese was an acquaintance.  However, in a previous arrest report, Brittany Higgs was listed as a next of kin.

Brittany Higgs was discharged from the hospital just before 7 p.m. Monday.

Marchese remains on the loose.

[Nut44x4]

Boy, 3, Taken From Hospital Found
Monday, November 16, 2009 8:12:19 PM

ALTAMONTE SPRINGS -- Police have located a 3-year-old child who disappeared from Florida Hospital Altamonte Monday afternoon.

Marchese remains on the loose.

http://www.cfnews13.com/News/Local/2009/11/16/child_3_taken_from_hospital.html

[trimmonthelake]

http://www.wftv.com/news/21631876/detail.html

Suspect Arrested After Allegedly Taking 3-Year-Old From Hospital

Posted: 5:00 pm EST November 16, 2009

Updated: 8:12 pm EST November 16, 2009


Deputies arrested a man Monday evening suspected of taking a 3-year-old boy from Florida Hospital Altamonte earlier in the afternoon. According to the Seminole County Sheriff's Office, 30-year-old Vincent Marchese rammed a deputy's cruiser during a pursuit on SR-436 just before 8:00pm.

Deputies said Marchese jumped from the blue Dodge Caravan he was driving after ramming the cruiser and took off on foot into the nearby Oxford and Derbyshire neighborhoods in Maitland. He was apprehended a short time later.

Alexiou Higgs, 3, was found inside the van and was said to be fine. He was taken to the Altamonte Springs Police Department.

Officers said Marchese does know the boy's mother, identified as 22-year-old Brittany Higgs, but he did not have permission to take the child. The child's mother had been transported to the hospital

[trimmonthelake]

I am so happy he is o.k.       

[trimmonthelake]

http://www.wftv.com/news/21631876/detail.html
Mom Reunited With Boy As Police Search For Suspect

Posted: 5:00 pm EST November 16, 2009Updated: 7:16 am EST November 17, 2009
ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. -- An emotional 22-year-old mom was reunited with her 3-year-old son more than five hours after the child disappeared from Florida Hospital Altamonte Monday afternoon. Brittany Higgs screamed with joy as tears streamed down her face as officers handed her 3-year-old Alexiou Higgs
“Oh! Oh, my baby! Hi!” Higgs exclaimed as her boy was handed to her at the Altamonte Springs Police Department.
Brittany wept as she held Alexiou and spent nearly two minutes holding him inside the lobby of the police department before heading out to a car in the parking lot.

“I could never see him hurting my child,” Brittany told WFTV when asked about the man accused of taking Alexiou. “But obviously.”

Deputies were searching for that man Monday night. Vincent Marchese, 30, is suspected of taking the 3-year-old boy from the hospital around 3:30pm. According to the Seminole County Sheriff's Office, Marchese rammed a deputy's cruiser during a pursuit on SR-436 just before 8:00pm.
Deputies said Marchese jumped from the blue Dodge Caravan he was driving after ramming the cruiser and took off on foot into the nearby Oxford and Derbyshire roads in Maitland (see map). Initial reports of him being captured turned out to be false and law enforcement was still actively looking for him Monday night.

Alexiou Higgs, 3, was found inside the van and was said to be fine. He was taken to the Altamonte Springs Police Department before being turned to his mother.

The 3-year-old's great grandmother was worried sick about her grandson.

"Oh, he's just a cute 3-year-old little boy. He's a sweetheart,” Hannah Jean told Eyewitness News.

Officers said Marchese does know the boy's mother, but he did not have permission to take the child. The child's mother had been transported to the hospital for an unspecified reason.

Eyewitness News learned Marchese had last been seen walking to a vending machine with the boy around 3:30pm.

Marchese does have a criminal history.
Images. http://www.wftv.com/slideshow/news/21634452/detail.html
Raw Video  http://www.wftv.com/video/21634458/index.html

[cookie]

weird....what was the reason to take this child?

but thank goodness this little boy is safe again...

[Nut44x4]

Suspect In Custody: "I Didn't Take That Boy!"
Posted: 8:36 am EST November 17, 2009
Updated: 1:03 pm EST November 17, 2009

Comment On This Story ››

MAITLAND, Fla. -- Maitland police and Seminole County deputies searching for the man who allegedly took a child from Florida Hospital Altamonte on Monday afternoon, without his mother's permission, captured the suspect in a Seminole County neighborhood Tuesday morning.

Vincent Marchese, 30, appeared tired and was bloodied as he was taken into custody and placed in a deputy's squad car (images | video). During the apprehension, Eyewitness News reporter Daralene Jones asked Marchese why he took the 3-year-old from the hospital.

"I didn't take that boy!" Marchese exclaimed while in police custody (watch raw video). "I didn't kidnap anyone. I love that little boy!”

Deputies had to break down a resident’s fence to get to Marchese, eyewitnesses told WFTV, because he was hiding on the other side of the fence under some brush. It appears that Marchese was hiding out in the neighborhood all night.

“Where have you been, Vincent?” Daralene Jones asked.

“I’ve been hiding,” he said.

Authorities had been looking for Marchese since he allegedly took the child around 3:30pm Monday. Investigators say Marchese was at the hospital watching 3-year-old Alexiou Higgs while the boy’s mother, 22-year-old Brittany Higgs, was being treated. When she was ready to leave at 1:30pm Monday they were nowhere to be found.

Brittany told police she did not give Marchese permission to leave in her minivan with her son. She searched for a couple of hours with a friend and then called police. Police then began investigating and discovered that Marchese left the hospital with Alexiou in Brittany Higgs’ Dodge Caravan.

Law enforcement then issued a statewide ‘lookout’ with information about the boy, Marchese and the vehicle. The van was located just before 8:30pm by a Seminole County deputy near SR-436 and SR-600 (see map). Deputies said they attempted to block in the vehicle, at which time Marchese allegedly rammed a Seminole County deputy’s marked patrol car and began to flee. Investigators said Marchese shortly after bailed from the vehicle, in the area of English Estates and was unable to be located.

Law enforcement canvassed the area near Highway 17-92 and Oxford Road in Maitland Tuesday morning after receiving a tip indicating Marchese was in the neighborhood. Authorities searched the same area Monday night while trying to track down the suspect.

Alexiou was in the vehicle Monday night when Marchese rammed the deputy's car, but was uninjured and safely recovered. The boy was returned his mother a short while later (images | raw video).


“Oh! Oh, my baby! Hi!” Higgs exclaimed Monday night as her boy was handed to her at the Altamonte Springs Police Department (watch raw video). “I could never see him hurting my child. But obviously,” Brittany told WFTV when asked about Marchese.

The boy was missing for about eight hours. The only place investigators have confirmed he was during that time is a Walgreen’s in Maitland; police say they have surveillance video of the boy and Marchese there and will release it later Tuesday.

After his arrest Tuesday morning, Marchese was transported to Florida Hospital Altamonte, the same hospital he allegedly took the boy from, to be treated for K-9 related injuries he sustained during his arrest. After release from the hospital, Marchese will go to the Orange County jail because he was actually captured in Maitland. He’ll face charges in Orange County for resisting arrest.

Once Marchese faces charges in Orange County, he’ll be transported to Seminole County to face charges of interfering with parental custody and for fleeing and eluding and aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer. It’s unclear how long it will take to resolve the Orange County charges and to transport him to Seminole County.
http://www.wftv.com/news/21637355/detail.html

[trimmonthelake]

http://www.wftv.com/news/21642939/detail.html
No Kidnapping Charge In Hospital Disappearance Case

Posted: 5:08 pm EST November 17, 2009Updated: 11:01 pm EST November 17, 2009

Comment On This Story ››
SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. -- Altamonte Springs Police say a suspect accused of taking a little boy from a hospital will not face kidnapping charges.

Officers captured 30-year-old Vincent Marchese on Tuesday, after a massive manhunt that started Monday afternoon. (images | video).

Investigators questioned Marchese for several hours after his arrest, trying to find out why he took 3-year-old Alexiou Higgs from the hospital, where his mother was being treated. Detectives say Marchese had permission to watch the child, but not permission to take him.

When 22-year-old Brittany Higgs found out her son had disappeared, she panicked. "We have a young lady here whose son and boyfriend disappeared two hours ago and she's all upset and panicky,” a hospital worker told a 911 dispatcher Monday afternoon (listen to call) as Higgs can be heard in the background saying, “I don't think he would hurt him.”
Tuesday, WFTV reporter Kathi Belich talked to the mother of the little boy (watch raw interview | images). She says, when she saw her ex-friend being arrested Tuesday morning on the news, she cried. She's overwhelmed by all of this and says she has no idea why Marchese took off with her son for hours without telling anyone.
“I didn't do anything!” Marchese exclaimed as he was taken into custody Tuesday morning.

And Altamonte Springs Police say they believe at least part of his story. Detectives say Marchese will only be charged with child endangerment, in relation to the boy's disappearance. The charge is only a misdemeanor.
The search for Marchese ended when authorities found him hiding under a bush behind a Maitland house. At some point, eventually, he tried to make a run for it. Investigators kept him hemmed in all night, because he had rammed a minivan into a patrol car Monday night with 3-year-old Alex Higgs inside.

Officers say Marchese will face charges for ramming the deputy's patrol car.

Altamonte police don't believe he harmed the boy, but there are still questions.

Why did Marchese leave with Alex in the first place? Where were they for those seven hours?

For about four minutes, they were at the Walgreen's on Maitland Boulevard. The store video  shows them walking in at about 7:15pm and walking out minutes later without buying anything, but it appears Alex carried something out; it’s unclear what it is.

“Do you know anything about his past? Do you know what kind of drug charges he was facing? Does it have anything to do with drug stores?” Belich asked the boy's mother Tuesday.
“I don't know,” she said.

Tuesday, Alex's mother, Brittany, is relieved Alex is home safe and sound. She says she's known Marchese for a long time and never believed he would hurt Alex.

“People who don't know you or about any of this might say he just got out of jail. What was she thinking? What were you thinking?” Belich asked.

“I never thought he would hurt, do anything to hurt my child. If I did for a second, my child would've been nowhere near him,” she said.

“How long have you known him?” Belich asked.
“Long time," she said.

“Years?” Belich asked.

“Just a long time," she replied.
Brittany was reunited with Alex on Monday night (images | raw video); she said it was a wonderful feeling. Tuesday, she's not feeling so wonderful about Marchese and said their friendship is over.

“The one thing you don't mess with is a mother and her kids,” she said.

Also, Tuesday, investigators released video of Vincent Marchese's take-down from the Seminole County sheriff's helicopter (raw video | images). The police dog pulled Marchese out of the bushes by his arm and two deputies eventually got him down onto his stomach. Meanwhile, other deputies had to break through a neighboring fence to get to Marchese and their coworkers.

Eyewitness News found Marchese has been arrested at least 24 times in Florida. Most of them are relatively minor charges. He's been arrested for marijuana possession, shoplifting, and driving on a suspended license. But his charges are more severe because he's been labeled a "career criminal.”


For crying out loud....she might not be so lucky if there is a next time.