An AMBER Alert issued for 8-year-old Tristen Gaters in Chicago, Illinois, has been canceled after the child was found safe early Friday morning, February 21, 2025.
Incident Details
Tristen was reported missing on Thursday evening, February 20, 2025, after being abducted near 71st Street and Eberhart Avenue on Chicago’s South Side.
Authorities issued the statewide AMBER Alert after receiving information that Tristen was taken by 39-year-old Marcus Bausley. The suspect was driving a 2017 Ford Escape with Illinois license plate DK97105.
How Tristen Was Found
The AMBER Alert was canceled at 4:23 AM after Tristen was found unharmed near 82nd Street and Damen Avenue. He was taken to Comer Children’s Hospital for a precautionary check-up.
Connection to a Homicide Investigation
Authorities have linked the abduction to a fatal stabbing of a 33-year-old woman found in a home on 7100 block of South Eberhart Avenue. The relationship between the victim, the suspect, and the child has not been confirmed by the police yet.
How the AMBER Alert System Helped
Illinois’ AMBER Alert system is used to quickly notify the public in serious child abduction cases. It mobilizes law enforcement, media, and the community to help in finding missing children quickly.
What Happens Next?
The investigation is still ongoing, and police are expected to release more details regarding the suspect’s motives and any possible charges.