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CLINTON, Utah, Nov. 22, 2019 (Gephardt Daily) — The Clinton Police Department wants it known that in the ongoing Amber Alert issued Wednesday for 3-week-old Audrey Westfall, officers have just one priority.
“I want to make sure we clarify, this investigation remains about Audrey,” Lt. Shawn Stoker, Clinton Police Department, told reporters Friday morning.
“She is the subject of the Amber Alert. She has yet to be located or the safety of her checked by any official entity, first person, in this case.”
Baby Audrey was reportedly taken by Taylor Webb, her mother, from the Clinton home of Webb’s mother, who has legal guardianship of the infant.
Local news reports have stated that guardianship was awarded to the grandmother because Webb went into a temporary coma after delivering Audrey. Public comments on news websites in some cases have supported Audrey’s mother and her actions in recovering her baby.
But Stoker doesn’t care right now about the circumstances, and he doesn’t want the waters muddied.
“In this case, our entire priority has been locating, checking to make sure that the welfare and the safety of this child, first and foremost, make sure the child is OK.”
It’s all about Audrey’s safety, and the fact that police only have the word of an attorney who says he is representing Webb that the infant is in good condition.
“Attorneys are credible, but an official entity — as in law enforcement, California CPS (Child Protective Services), CPS here — any entity that we would hope would be able to put eyes on, verify that the child is safe” is what is needed, Stoker said.
“We do not know where the baby is,” Stoker said. “We cannot say or verify that the baby’s safe. That’s our priority here, that’s our concern…. That’s what we need to start out with. The rest we can figure out.”
“Let’s verify the baby’s OK, then we can work though the mountain of what’s left, including possible criminal charges and figuring out some of the intricacies of the information that we’ve been given.”
Officials believe that when Webb left, she may have been headed for Modesto, California, where she lives. Stoker confirmed he is working with California Child Protective Services as part of the investigation.
Amber Alert information describes Webb as 5 feet 5 inches tall, 130 pounds, with light brown hair and tattoos on both collarbones. She may be wearing glasses, and often wears her hair in a bun.
Audrey is 18 inches and about 10 pounds. She was last seen in a black and gray child carrier with a pink and green quilted blanket.
