'I'll Show You': 4-Year-Old Helps Deputies Catch Fugitive Hiding In Greensburg Apartment
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GREENSBURG, Pa. (KDKA) -- One the run from the law, Jesse Lawson's trail to jail started when Westmoreland County Sheriff's deputies got a tip.
"We had two active warrants for Jesse Lawson, and we had a residence that we suspected he was staying at," said Westmoreland County Sheriff Jonathan Held.
That place happened to be in Building P of the Autumn Brook Apartment Homes in Greensburg; coincidentally, the home of Lawson's girlfriend, Lauren Byrd.
"She told them he's not there, he's not at the residence," said Sheriff Held.
But, according to two sheriff's deputies, Byrd wasn't being quite truthful, and her young child helped officers find Lawson.
"Kids naturally wanna tell the truth," Sheriff Held said.
The child, standing nearby during the questioning, told deputies he knew exactly where the 24-year-old wanted man was. That's when the boy led the deputies to a closet.
"The 4-year-old did state he was there, and hiding in closet," Sheriff Held said.
The boy told officers, "Come on, I'll show you."
The deputies knocked on the door and told Lawson to come out, but there was silence inside. They tried opening the door, but it was locked. The deputies then told Lawson if he didn't come out of the closet, they were going to bust down the door.
That's when he surrendered to the deputies.
In addition to finding Lawson, Sheriff Held says his deputies found 10 stamp bags of heroin and some marijuana in the apartment, easily accessible to the three children who live there.
"He did admit to it being his," Sheriff Held said of Lawson.
Lawson is now facing additional criminal charges.
"There was drug paraphernalia and some marijuana found in the apartment, which lead to the child endangerment charges," the sheriff said.
Lawson is being held on $25,000 straight cash bond in the Westmoreland County Jail.
So far, no charges have been filed against Byrd.
