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Police recover missing child
By BRIAN PORTER/Managing Editor
Isabel Perez, 3, spent a night in a truck during a nearly 21-hour ordeal in which she went missing Monday night and was turned back over to Mesquite police Tuesday afternoon.
The child was taken by James Michael Greer, 38, the boyfriend of Perez’ mother, Lynzee Darisse, in what family members originally believed to have been an innocent case of babysitting which quickly escalated.
“He had watched her during the day and then took Isabel with him,” said Melissa Alcala, Isabel’s aunt.
Then Isabel was not returned home. Greer had received an $800 rent payment and Alcala told The Mesquite News she believes he went to purchase drugs and had Isabel with him.
“I think my sister was scared to say anything,” Alcala said. “Our family got involved and we kept calling and he wouldn’t answer.”
The Mesquite Police Department began tracking Greer’s cell phone number but did not issue an Amber Alert. At 4 p.m. Tuesday, Isabel was recovered.
“He left her in the truck all night by herself,” Alcala said. “We got her back and that’s what we care about.”
The truck used in the case was a service vehicle for Premier Air Conditioning, a company operated by Kenny Darisse, Isabel’s grandfather. Greer wasn’t permitted to operate the truck, Alcala said.
“Everyone here (at Premier Air Conditioning) was concerned,” Alcala said. “We had all the techs out looking for Isabel and the truck.”
Mesquite police finally made contact with Greer on Tuesday afternoon and he agreed to return Isabel. Greer turned Isabel over to authorities at the Mesquite Police Department. He was arrested on unlawful carrying of a weapon charges.
“He had permission to have the child,” said Lt. Steve Callarman, Mesquite police spokesperson. “It becomes one of those deals where you have to determine when that permission stops.”
He could have been charged with kidnapping had he not agreed to release the child upon contact with the police department. The charge of unlawful carrying of a weapon stemmed from a knife in his possession at the time of his arrest. He also was in possession of pills which the police department was unable to identify.
“He just didn’t answer the phone and we couldn’t make contact with him,” Callarman said.
The Mesquite Police Department was making preparations to issue a Dallas-Fort Worth Amber Alert before contact was made and the release of Isabel was arranged.
“To me that’s the big issue,” Alcala said. “This is kidnapping and child endangerment. We really wanted him to be charged with something like that.”
Police indicate Greer was not charged with kidnapping, but won’t rule out those or other charges in the future. He was turned over to county custody and it was unclear at press deadline if he remained in custody.
Contact Brian Porter at bporter@acnpapers.com or to comment on this story visit www.MesquiteNews.com.
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