Family Happy That Missing Girl Is Back Home
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BENBROOK (CBSDFW.COM) - Missing for days, a 9-year-old Benbrook girl returned home to the safety of family early Wednesday morning in an emotional reunion caught only by CBS 11 News.
Caitlyn Williams arrived back at her home on Wade Hampton Street at about 1:30 a.m. on Wednesday. Police escorted her to the door, where her mom gave her a big hug.
In a statement released early Wednesday morning, the girl's father, Shawn Williams, thanked law enforcement and the local community for their support and help during the ordeal.
"We just want to thank everyone involved," the statement read, "the Benbrook police department, the FBI, the PTA of Benbrook elementary, all our friends and family, and of course the Facebook community for their quick response times of getting the information out there. Thank all of you involved for helping to bring our daughter home safe and sound. We would just like to spend time alone with our daughter and try to move past this terrible tragedy as best we can."
The emotional reunion capped a day of violence, after the person accused of taking her -- uncle Jessie Williams -- was killed in a shootout with an FBI task force in Louisiana. Investigators said the 24-year-old suspect was found at a Days Inn motel in Bossier City.
Williams was accused of abducting the child on Friday outside of her Benbrook home.
The FBI confirmed that a task force officer was shot in the leg during the gunfire exchanged with Williams. The officer is expected to be okay. Caitlyn was not in the motel room at the time of the shootout.
"We never want to see things end in violence," said Officer Sandy Eubanks with the Benbrook Police Department. "Our job is to protect lives and property. So, anytime there's violence, it didn't end well for us."
Police said that several tips that led them to the motel after they issued an Amber Alert. Two detectives from Benbrook were sent to Louisiana to bring Caitlyn home.
How it all happened -- and why -- still puzzles Benbrook authorities. "I don't have any reason to believe that the things that were strange yesterday are not strange today," said Eubanks.
"I just want to know why," added Crystal Williams, the young girl's aunt. "We want to know why, and the only person who knows is Caitlyn, so we just have to wait and see."
Caitlyn's family said that they are grateful to the officers and community members who helped. They now need healing as they try to wrap their minds around what happened. "We're sad the way it ended the way it did," said Judy Rigsbee, the child's great aunt, "but we're glad Caitlyn is okay."
