Massachusetts

Missing Child Located, Amber Alert Canceled

An Amber Alert issued Wednesday for a missing 3-year-old has been canceled, according to police.

The alert was issued by Massachusetts State Police around 10:45 p.m., three hours after Ella Abbott was allegedly taken by her mother.

Police said the girl's mother, 38-year-old Lee-Ann Rickheit, had made threats to harm the child.

State police said around 3 a.m. Thursday that the child and her mother had been located in a vehicle in a wooded area of Charlton and that the Amber Alert had been canceled.

Both are conscious and alert and are being taken to area hospitals for examination.

Police said Rickheit is being transported to St. Vincent's Hospital in Worcester under police guard. The exact charges she will face have yet to be finalized, but will reflect her actions in fleeing with the child, as well as evidence observed and recovered during her capture.

Ella has been transported to UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester.

The two were located after state police developed information indicating that Rickheit frequented the wooded area where she was found.

According to police, the two had possibly been traveling in a blue 2007 Hyundai Sonata with Massachusetts license plates. Police had said that Rickheit has a history in the Charlton area and was believed to have been recently traveling on the Massachusetts Turnpike in that area.

The investigation is ongoing.

Contact Us