One of the most devastating events for any parent is to have their child snatched away from them by a kidnapper. Mothers are cautious at every turn when they are out with their children, but today it is not uncommon for a child to be taken from their own home by home invaders who are also kidnappers. This was the case in John Island, South Carolina when four year old Heidi Renae Todd was taken from her home. An intruder broke into the Todd home, brutally beat the mother, and kidnapped four year old Heidi. The father was in the Coast Guard and was away from home on a training mission.
The crime was not uncovered until the faculty at the school where the older children attended noticed that the kids had not been picked up when they were supposed to be. The police were called and went to the Todd home where they found Mrs. Todd in a very bad state. She was rushed to the hospital where she underwent emergency surgery. A search party was immediately dispatched to look for the missing four year old and her kidnapper. This became a community effort, and they searched all surrounding areas for signs of Heidi. The next day in Riverside, Alabama, which is about 400 miles from John Island, two workers from Norfolk Southern were working on the railroad when they noticed a car parked in the area. This was unusual because the area was deep into the woods, and a long distance away from any roads.
The two workers called the police to inform them of the suspicious car. The Riverside Police Chief, Rick Oliver, was the first on the scene. He carefully approached the car and looked inside. He looked in a saw a sleeping man, and next to him was a wide eyed little girl. He confronted the man who immediately handed the little girl over to him without hesitation. The man then sped off in the car. The chief later exclaimed that he knew that the guy was going to take off. It was a few hours later that the police chief figured out that the child in his possession was the missing girl, Heidi Todd,whom everyone was frantically looking for.
The man who had taken Heidi over the Mississippi line was later caught and arrested after a chase by police officers. The man was a 27 year old felon who was identified as Thomas Lawton Evans who had recently been released from prison. The investigation continues as police try to determine if there is a possible connection between Thomas Evans and the Todd family, or if the attack was just a random case. Mr. and Mrs. Todd, and the rest of the family are excited and happy to have Heidi back at home safe. Mayor John Teckleburg of Charleston stated that what could have been a real tragedy has turned out to be a day that was filled with joy. Chief Rick Oliver declared that the day he returned Heidi home was the brightest of his 20 year law enforcement career.
