In the quiet stretches of Tangipahoa Parish, a frantic search gripped Louisiana late Tuesday night when authorities issued an AMBER Alert for two-year-old Christopher Cooper. The light-skinned Black boy, with his short black hair and brown eyes, vanished around 9:45 p.m. near Kentwood, snatched from a white 2011 GMC Yukon bearing Mississippi plates. His mother had pulled over at a welcome center off Interstate 55 southbound, stepping out briefly—only for the driver, 49-year-old James Mercier of McComb, Mississippi, to speed away with the child inside.
Mercier, described as a white male standing 5 feet 9 inches and weighing about 160 pounds, was last seen without a shirt but carrying a white or gray one, paired with black pants. The alert painted a grim picture: Christopher, just 3 feet 2 inches tall and 40 to 50 pounds, dressed in a red shirt, black shorts, and blue Crocs. State police mobilized quickly, urging drivers along I-55 to watch for the SUV, as fears mounted over the toddler's safety in the hands of a stranger.
However, relief came swiftly by early Wednesday morning. Deputies located the vehicle abandoned in a Kentwood parking lot, where Christopher was found safe and asleep in the back seat. Mercier, who had fled on foot, was apprehended soon after and now faces charges of aggravated kidnapping. The Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office confirmed the boy's reunion with his mother, canceling the alert around 6 a.m. Indeed, the rapid resolution spared what could have been a prolonged nightmare, but questions linger about how the abduction unfolded during what seemed like a routine trip.
Moreover, this incident underscores the raw vulnerability of young travelers on interstates, especially near state lines. While Christopher is back home unharmed, the episode serves as a stark reminder of the perils lurking in everyday journeys. What drives such desperate acts, and how can families stay one step ahead?