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Search for 2-year-old boy after mother is killed
Kylie Jones reports
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - St. Petersburg police detectives are desperate to find a 2-year-old St. Petersburg boy whose mother was found dead in their northeast St. Pete apartment Thursday.
Taylen Mosley just turned 2 on March 12. He is now the subject of a statewide Amber Alert.
Photos of Pashun Jeffery and Taylen Mosely provided by St. Petersburg Police Department
St. Petersburg chief of police Anthony Holloway said during a press conference Thursday evening that Taylen was last seen with his mother, 20-year-old Pashun Jeffery, around 5:30 p.m. Wednesday outside their Lincoln Shores apartment on 4th Street North.
"Our main concern is we need to find this two-year-old," Chief Holloway said.
Holloway said a neighbor came forward to report hearing "a commotion" coming from Jeffery's apartment on Wednesday night, but police were not called at the time.
"Earlier today, the family did not hear from the deceased, so they asked the apartment manager to come do a check on them," Chief Holloway said.
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Full news briefing: Amber Alert update on missing St. Pete boy, mother's homicide
St. Petersburg police detectives are investigating the death of a mother at an apartment complex. Her 2-year-old boy is missing, prompting a statewide Amber Alert.
Detectives believe Jeffery was killed inside her apartment. Her body was found around 2:30 p.m. Thursday.
The view from SkyFOX showed crime scene tape draped around a parking lot. The doors and trunk of a parked blue vehicle were open, with items sitting on the sidewalk behind it. Holloway confirmed the car belonged to Jeffery.
Police are not sure if Taylen was home at the time.
"That crime scene is very violent on the inside [of the apartment]," Chief Holloway said. "We want to find Taylen. That's our main goal right now… We just want to make sure the child is safe," Holloway said.
The chief asked any neighbor or nearby resident who has cameras or information that could help them find Taylen to come forward.
The chief said police have not spoken to Taylen's father, but they are sure Taylen is not with his father.
Provided by FDLE
Taylen is described as a Black male who is 2 feet tall and weighs 30 pounds. He has brown hair and brown eyes.
Neighbors said they were shocked to see so many law enforcement officers at the apartment complex.
Neighbors say they were shocked to see so many law enforcement officers in the apartment complex.
"Police officer after police officer," one neighbor said. "Then I saw two detectives come in. Then I saw two more detectives come in. Then, a lot of the maintenance workers were just zooming over here real quick."
As of Thursday night, police believed Taylen had likely been missing for 24 hours.
"The last time he was seen was yesterday at five o’clock in the afternoon," Holloway said. "He could be anywhere."
Holloway says county, state and federal agencies are working this case. He said they've also brought in search dogs, flew a drone over a nearby pond and hauled away a dumpster from the apartment complex to be searched.
"The homicide scene, we will work that," Holloway said. "But right now, we want to bring this child home."
Police say it’s not clear if Taylen was hurt before he disappeared. They believe Jeffrey and her son were the only ones living in their apartment.
"If you have this child, please call us. Let us know that this child is safe, because that’s our main concern right now," Holloway said. "We’re not looking to charge anyone. We just want to know where this child is right now to make sure that he’s safe."
Anyone with information on the child's location or the homicide should call 911 or St. Petersburg Police Department at 727-893-7780.