Wynter Cole Smith, a toddler found dead who had been missing for several days, was discovered deceased. Officials in Michigan revealed that her mother’s former boyfriend is facing charges at the federal level.
Wynter’s Unimaginable Last Moments as Family Mourns Loss (Photo: NBC News)
Update on Tragic Death of Michigan Toddler
Wynter Cole Smith, a toddler found dead in a Detroit alley was taken from her mother’s apartment, which sparked a large search effort. Rashad Trice, a 26-year-old man, has been accused of kidnapping Wynter, who was found deceased. Trice was already facing multiple charges for sexual assault, attempted murder, burglary, and unlawful imprisonment.
The U.S. attorney for the Western District of Michigan said the accusations in this case are very sad. He said his thoughts are with Wynter’s family, and they were all hoping she would come back safely.
According to a statement from an FBI agent, as stated in the published article in NBC News, Trice is accused of stabbing Wynter’s mother multiple times and hurting her sexually on Monday. She was severely injured and rushed to her mother’s nearby apartment, leaving Wynter and her 1-year-old brother behind.
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Wynter’s Unimaginable Last Moments as Family Mourns Loss
When the police arrived at the apartment, Wynter and Trice were gone, but her little brother was left behind. Wynter’s grandmother’s car, a 2013 Chevy Impala, was also missing. The police issued an Amber Alert for Wynter, Trice, and the car. Later that day, the police spotted the Impala in St. Clair Shores and tried to stop Trice, but he fled and crashed. Trice was arrested, but the toddler found dead was not found in the car. The search for Wynter intensified, and a reward of $25,000 was offered for any information leading to her whereabouts.
On Wednesday night, a toddler found dead in an alley. They examined Trice’s phone records, videos, and license plate reader data to locate her. The FBI agent stated that she had been strangled with a pink cord typically used for charging cellphones. The cord found with Wynter’s body matched a pink cord fragment discovered inside the Impala. Additionally, there was blood from Trice’s wounds, which he supposedly obtained when he stabbed the toddler found dead’s mother. A photograph attached to the document depicted sections of a pink cord and blood in the car.
Wynter, a toddler found dead in her last moments, is unimaginable, according to the U.S. attorney. Trice confessed that he and Wynter’s mother stabbed each other during a money argument. Trice faced eight serious charges and was denied bond. If convicted of kidnapping leading to death, he could receive a life sentence or even the death penalty. A toddler’s family will hold a vigil to remember her and mourn her loss, as they are devastated by her senseless death.
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