Forest Hill Officer Fired For Role In Search For Kidnapped Girl To Appeal Termination
FOREST HILL, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) - Richardson Wolfe, the sergeant who was fired Wednesday from the Forest Hill Police force over his role in the search for a kidnapped girl last month, will appeal his termination.
Forest Hill Police Chief Dan Dennis, explained in a news release Thursday, what happened the day of the search for the 8-year-old girl, who was ultimately found safe by Fort Worth Police.
Chief Dennis said, on a tip, his officers, including Sgt. Wolfe, tried to make contact with the kidnapping suspect Michael Webb in his hotel room.
Officers knocked for seven minutes, the chief said, believing they lacked probably cause to force their way in.
Then the officers spoke with Webb for another eight minutes through the door before Webb let them in.
Chief Dennis said Sgt. Wolfe entered the room and was able to see inside the cabinet doors, restroom and shower as well as under the bed and inside the refrigerator, but he did not see the girl.
About 90 minutes later, at 2:00 a.m., Sgt. Wolfe returned to the WoodSpring Suites Hotel on a tip about the suspect's vehicle, but the chief said while Wolfe found it, he for some reason dismissed it.
Fort Worth Police then arrived, examined the same evidence and within minutes breached Webb's door and found the child inside and rescued her.