On Wednesday, January 18th, 2023, at around 10:10 A.M., Officers responded to the Salvation Army Family Shelter, located at 749 S. Warren Street, for a suicidal missing person complaint. Upon arrival, Officers spoke with staff who relayed that one of the residents, Alice Fenton, 21, left with her 5-month-old child the day before and had not returned. The staff were concerned because Fenton made suicidal statements on her Facebook page. Upon learning this information, the Syracuse Police Department initiated an endangered missing person investigation and solicited help from the public.
Later the same day, at 4:15 P.M., Officers received information that Alice had returned to the Salvation Army Family Shelter. An officer responded to that location and located the mother, but not the child.
Officers continued to search the area for the missing child. At 4:40 P.M., Officers located the child abandoned at the Salt City Market, located at 484 S. Salina Street. It was later learned that the child’s father, Justin Hughes, 26, had taken the child and abandoned her at the market and fled the area. Hughes could not be located at the time. A warrant was requested for Hughes for Assault in the Third Degree, Criminal Contempt in the First Degree, and Endangering the Welfare of a Child.
The mother was transported to an area hospital for treatment of injuries from a prior physical domestic dispute with Hughes.
The child was transported to an area hospital and turned over to the care of Child Protective Services.
“We would like to thank the swift response from Officers and the community which led to a successful conclusion in this case. “ – Syracuse Police statement
