Austin Missing Child Safely Recovered in Gulf Coast Region
Father sought and apprehended for recent shooting incident
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For immediate release
U.S. Marshals Headquarters
Austin, TX – Members of the U.S. Marshals Gulf Coast Violent Offenders Fugitive Task Force safely recovered a missing 4-year-old child today in the 10200 block of North Freeway Service Road in Houston, following a state-wide Amber Alert issued this morning in Texas.
Joshua Christopher Crowley, 36, the father of the missing child, was apprehended for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon that occurred May 2 in Washington County, Texas.
The Austin Police Department and the Texas Rangers initiated an investigation and requested assistance from the Lone Star Fugitive Task Force - Austin Division - to locate and recover the boy, who was listed as missing and was last known to be in possession of Crowley, a noncustodial parent.
Authorities continued an investigation on the missing child and learned Crowley was a suspect in a drive-by-shooting that occurred May 2 at the Burton Short Stop located at 12400 FM 390 in Burton.
Members of the Austin based task force continued a multi-agency investigation and requested assistance from the U.S. Marshals Gulf Coast Violent Offenders Fugitive Task Force (GCVOFTF) in Houston, when authorities developed information that Crowley was in the Gulf Coast area.
Members of the Gulf Coast Violent Offenders Fugitive Task Force located Crowley in a shopping center where he was arrested without incident and the child was safely recovered and handed over to the Texas Rangers.
The Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015 enhanced the U.S. Marshals Service discretionary authority to assist law enforcement agencies with the recovery of missing, endangered, or abducted children, regardless of whether a fugitive or sex offender was involved. Since 2015, the agency has recovered more than 1,960 missing children.
Members of the Lone Star Fugitive Task Force in Austin –
- Austin Police Department-Tactical Intelligence Unit
- Georgetown and Round Rock Police Department
- Travis, Caldwell, Hays, Williamson, and Bastrop County Sheriff’s Office
- Texas Attorney General’s Office
- Texas Department of Criminal Justice OIG
- Texas Department of Public Safety
- U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement
- U.S. DHS/Homeland Security Investigations.
Additional information about the U.S. Marshals Service can be found at https://www.usmarshals.gov.
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