Missing Girl, 5, Found Safe in Kentucky, Dad Is Arrested for Murder of Her Mother
Less than 24 hours after an Amber Alert was issued, Lela Black was 'located safely'
A 5-year-old girl in Kentucky has been located after an Amber Alert was issued for her disappearance.
Less than 24 hours after Kentucky State Police declared Lela Black as missing, authorities confirmed in a post shared on X (formerly known as Twitter) Monday that she had been “located safely.”
Lela was with her biological father, Byron Black, 42, who was arrested in connection with the death of her mother, Kelly Black, also 42, police said.
Kelly was found dead at her home in Princeton, Kentucky on Sunday after local police were called to conduct a wellness check, per a news release.
Police said that Kelly was the victim of a murder, prompting an investigation that resulted in an arrest warrant for her husband, Byron. "KSP Troopers and Detectives responded to the scene and learned Kelly Black is the victim of a murder," the release read in part.
**UPDATE** The missing child, Lela Black, has been located safely. Byron Black has been taken into custody. Thank you to everyone who retweeted and shared! https://t.co/sHSwxh8UWM
— KY State Police (@kystatepolice) January 29, 2024
Police said Byron left the scene prior to authorities arriving at the residence.
According to NBC News, the Amber Alert said that an investigation later determined that Kelly died from a gunshot wound to the back of her head.
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In the initial Amber Alert shared on the Kentucky State Police's official Facebook page on Monday, authorities said Lela was believed to be with her father and he was suspected to be "armed and dangerous."
Per NBC News, prior to the issuing of the Amber Alert, Byron and Lela had not been heard from since Jan. 26.
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