MANSFIELD — Mansfield Police announced missing persons Timothy Lee Whitt and his nephew Zane Clay were found in Mansfield walking on Luther Place, on their way to Clay’s mother and Whitt’s sister’s home.

According to Mansfield Police Chief Keith Porch during a Thursday afternoon press conference, Whitt, 44, took his 6-year-old nephew out Wednesday evening.

Carolyn Clay, Zane’s mother, was waiting in the hallway after the press conference. She seemed to be in high spirits, laughing with her roommate and daughter. 

“I’m very happy,” Clay said. “But I am very, very tired. I was kind of in shock (when Zane) was missing. I didn’t believe it at first when he was found. There was all kinds of worry while he was missing.” 

Police were notified when Zane hadn’t returned at 9 p.m. on Wednesday evening, with his mother’s permission.

Thirty MPD officers and other Richland County law enforcement combed the downtown area looking for Whitt, who has multiple sex offender charges, including a current warrant for not updating the courts with an address.

“We received a lot of tips that helped us find the uncle and the 6-year-old,” said Porch. “What was difficult about this incident is the uncle was homeless and transient which made this very difficult.”

  • A Mansfield police vehicle seen here on Pleasant Street on Thursday morning.

  • A Mansfield police vehicle searches on Bowman Street on Thursday morning.

  • A Mansfield police cruiser searches along Fifth Street on Thursday morning.

  • A Mansfield police vehicle is seen here, parked just off Main Street, as the search continues Thursday morning.

Twelve search teams conducted concentrated searches at locations Whitt was known to go, including North Lake Park, the chief said.

The chief, the lone speaker of the press conference, thanked the Ontario Police Department, FBI, the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, and the Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

“Mansfield could not have done this without the assistance of other agencies,” Porch said. “I am extremely proud of how this situation ended and obviously the return of the 6-year-old is the outcome we wanted.”

Porch said he has not had any contact with either of the two since they were found, but added Zane appeared to be fine.

According to the National Weather Service, it was 30 degrees outside at midnight yesterday evening, with a wind chill of 24 degrees. 

Because the department is still investigating the incident, Porch said he could not comment on where the two had spent the night, or whether Whitt was under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Whitt has had many charges for public intoxication and Porch said the department was aware of Whitt before this incident.

Clay said she doubts she would ever let her brother take Zane out again. 

“He’s going to jail anyways, probably,” she said.