Advertisement

Police Are Searching a North Carolina Pond for Evelyn Mae Boswell, Who Went Missing in December

Police Are Searching a North Carolina Pond for Evelyn Mae Boswell, Who Went Missing in December

Authorities are searching a North Carolina pond for 15-month-old Evelyn Mae Boswell.

In a press conference Wednesday afternoon, Sullivan County Sheriff Jeff Cassidy confirmed that crews are “actively looking” in Wilkes County for the toddler. Firefighters from Catawba County are assisting with the search.

The search comes just hours after the girl’s mother, Megan “Maggie” Boswell, 18, was arrested by the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office on one count of false reporting. She is being held on $25,000 bail. She has not yet entered a plea.

Evelyn Mae Boswell was last seen sometime in December, according to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, but she was officially reported missing last Tuesday, several weeks after she vanished. Police have said that Maggie has given them “conflicting and inaccurate” information about the little girl’s whereabouts.

Authorities first learned that Evelyn was missing after hearing from her grandfather, who stated that he had not seen the toddler since the holidays.

Tennessee Bureau of Investigation
Tennessee Bureau of Investigation

In an interview with WJHL-TV on Monday, Maggie said she believed her mother had kidnapped the child and taken her to a campground in Virginia.

“I told [the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation] where to find her in Mendota,” she told the station. “My mom took her to a campground in a silver camper. If they don’t go tonight, I’m going to go find her myself, because I’ve told them and they’re not really, like, taking it seriously.”

“My mom did threaten me, like, you know, if I told anybody,” Boswell claimed. “I’m not gonna get into that, but she did.”

William McCloud and Angela Boswell | Wilkes County Sheriff's Office
William McCloud and Angela Boswell | Wilkes County Sheriff's Office

The child’s grandmother, Angela Boswell, has been arrested on charges of possession of stolen property in the case, along with a man named William McCloud. Neither were charged with kidnapping, and authorities have not commented on Maggie’s allegations.

Last Friday, Angela Boswell and McCloud, both Tennessee residents, were found in North Carolina in a 2007 BMW, which authorities had previously announced was a vehicle of interest.

“The gray BMW has been located in Wilkes County, North Carolina, along with the individuals that authorities were hoping to speak with concerning Evelyn Boswell’s whereabouts,“ the Tennessee Bureau of Investigations said in a social media statement after the arrest.

RELATED: Mom of Tenn. Girl Missing Since December Gave ‘Conflicting and Inaccurate’ Information: Sheriff

Neither has entered a plea and court records do not reflect attorneys authorized to speak on their behalf.

Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.

Evelyn Mae Boswell | Tennessee Bureau of Investigation
Evelyn Mae Boswell | Tennessee Bureau of Investigation

During Wednesday’s press conference, Sheriff Jeff Cassidy said authorities are still unable to determine what happened to the little girl — and accused Maggie Boswell of lying to authorities.

“Every time we talk to her, her story changes,” Cassidy said. “And I’m serious about that. Every single time.”

Boswell has not responded to PEOPLE’s request for comment.

According to her AMBER Alert, Evelyn is 2 feet tall and weighs 28 lbs. She has blonde hair and blue eyes. She was last seen wearing a pink tracksuit, pink shoes and a pink bow.

Anyone who has information about Evelyn’s whereabouts is asked to call the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office at 423-279-7330 or the TBI at 1-800-TBI-FIND.