3 wanted after 4-year-old disappears

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - Mittie Edwards sent her daughter to a relative's apartment unsupervised, and the little girl did not come back. She got the surprise of her life when she found the 4-year-old in the wrong neighbor's apartment.

Edwards and her daughter live in St. Stephens Woods Apartments in Prichard. According to police on Thursday, August 25, Edwards sent her daughter to retrieve an item from a relative living in another unit in the complex around 8:30 p.m. When her daughter did not return, Edwards went searching for her, only to find she was in the wrong apartment with Damoiz Shinn.

“As she was leaving, someone asked her was she looking for a child, and they advised her she was in the apartment downstairs," said Prichard Chief of Police Jimmie Gardner.

Edwards told police Shinn pushed the child out of his apartment and attempted to shut the door.

"The mother attempted to question that gentleman, got no response from him. She went back home and called police who responded to her apartment, took the information and went to visit Shinn where he was not found,” said Gardner.

At 11 p.m. the sound of gunfire rang out through the apartment complex.

Police said a male relative of the child, Robert Howard, had taken matters into his own hands and kicked down the door to Shinn's apartment.

"Subject came in, kicked in the door. Mr. Shinn heard them and ran into a bedroom. They kicked in the bathroom door and shot twice," said Gardner.

Bullets hit Shinn in the arm and leg.

Howard fled the scene and Shinn was taken to USA Medical Center for treatment.

The child was unharmed but taken to the hospital for further examination.

Shinn is wanted for enticing a child. Howard is wanted for assault and burglary. The child's mother is wanted for child neglect.

According to police, all three have criminal records.