A quick-thinking group of friends in Maryland quickly identified a suspected child abductor’s vehicle after receiving an AMBER Alert, leading police directly to the car and helping safely recover the missing child.
The Prince George’s County Police Department issued an alert for 1-year-old Day-Rene Garris Collins around 2 p.m. Saturday, after she was reported missing from her home earlier that day in a white onesie, the department posted on X.
The AMBER Alert issued urged the public to watch for a 2022 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport SUV bearing Maryland license plate 8GK3445, being driven by her suspected abductor and relative, Shannon Collins.
The public was urged not to engage with Collins and the vehicle.
Hours after phones across the county began buzzing with the alert about the missing child, a group of friends spotted the gray SUV passing their vehicle on the road and started recording.
In a TikTok video posted by one of the friends, the Volkswagen rolled up alongside them, triggering screams from the group.
Moments later, the vehicle slid in front of them at a red light, allowing them to get a clear view of the license plate and verify that it was the same plate number issued in the AMBER alert earlier that day.
The short 13-second video then cuts to the Volkswagen, now surrounded by police vehicles farther up the road as officers arrested Collins.
As officers arrested Collins, 36, one friend in the car could be heard saying it was “all thanks” to them for leading police to the suspect, while another asked why he thought he could get away with “kidnapping kids,” before the video ends.
The Prince George’s County Police Department later thanked a good Samaritan who called in the tip that led to the arrest of the suspect.
“Thanks to a great community partnership, an alert citizen spotted the amber alert car,” the department wrote on X.
“That citizen contacted Maryland State police who relayed the locations to the Prince Georges County PD through our inner operable radio system.”
Police said they quickly found the vehicle after the tip and arrested the driver without incident.
Police also reported the child was unharmed and the suspect is related to her.
Officials did not elaborate on how the 1-year-old was related to Collins.
“Thank you community and public safety agencies for your partnership,” the department wrote.
The TikTok video, posted by @umwhat74, confirmed that his friend group had called the police and only shared the video because it was “such a crazy experience.”
Commenters praised him and his friends for being aware and calling the police.
“I was in Amber Hagerman’s Girl Scout troop when she was kidnapped (she’s the reason for AMBER alerts). Thank you for paying attention and calling this in. She was taken when we were kids and I’ll be 40 this year and her disappearance still haunts me,” one user commented.
“The chances of this happening to yall was so low thank you for saving that baby,” wrote another.
“When people joke about amber alerts saying “what you want me to do?” This! They are for that one random person who just happens to be right there at the right time. Thank you for saving that child!” another user commented.
