2 face charges of child abuse in case of missing child

Tamera Chunn, 30, and Jason Reed, 48, both of Road 236, Union, were arrested and charged with felony child abuse.

Sheriff Eric Clark said the two are the parents of a 2-year-old girl who was found after being reported missing for more than 10 hours earlier this month.

Clark said that during the investigation into the missing child which included interviews with both parents, investigators collected evidence that led to the charges. He said that authorities have “further unanswered questions” and that further charges are possible.

He said the child has been taken into the care of Child Protective Services.

Chunn was arrested on Sept. 14, in the early afternoon and bonded out of jail on $15,000 in bond on Sept. 17, at 4:17 p.m.

Reed was arrested in the evening hours of Sept. 13 and bonded out on Sept. 16, at 4:12 p.m. on $15,000 bond.

Clark said the 2-year-old was found on the far side of a pond roughly half a mile into the woods behind her home on Road 236 with her dog late in the evening of Sept. 13.

The little girl had been reported missing just after 5:30 p.m. and her parents had been looking for her for hours before that, Clark said.

“She had a scratch on her neck and was dirty but otherwise was in excellent condition,” Clark said at the time.

Clark said the child had wandered off without shoes or a diaper and was wearing only a striped dress. He said she was not very talkative when they found her but that she did not cry. Clark said she was transported to Neshoba General for a full checkup.

“Everything was rosy,” Clark said. “She was a little sweetheart.”

Clark said his office received a call at 5:38 p.m. after the family had noticed Everleigh and her dog were missing and had been searching on their own for hours. Clark said the search concluded at 1:01 a.m.

Clark said in addition to deputies, members of the Dixon and Linwood fire departments responded to the call. He said they also received assistance from the Winston County Sheriff’s Department which in addition to manpower sent a drone capable of picking up thermal images along with a tracking dog.

Clark said the search party also included concerned neighbors and friends.

“I think this was a testament to everybody being able to work together,” Clark said. “We used all of our resources and found her.”