Body of Wynter Smith recovered • Bacteria closes 15 Oakland County beaches • Golf at Comerica Park

THURSDAY NEWS HIT - After a frantic search across the state that included several police agencies and nearly three agonizing days for family members, the body of Wynter Smith was discovered in an alley way in Detroit.

Police located the Lansing 2-year-old in the early evening Wednesday in what was a heartbreaking development for tragic story.

The investigation "has moved from a missing child to a homicide investigation," Lansing Police Chief Ellery Sosebee said in a brief statement to media later Wednesday.

Prior to her discovery, Smith had been missing since Sunday night after a 26-year-old man attacked her mom and kidnapped her. He's since been arrested and arraigned on several felonies. 

"This is not the outcome we hoped for, and our hearts go out to Wynter's family," said FBI Special Agent Devin Kowalski. "We have the best people back there to do what is necessary, to be as respectful as possible to Wynter and her family."

The toddler was discovered in the area of Knodell and Erwin Streets east of Van Dyke and north of Harper around 6:50 p.m.

Before that, both local and state police had searched multiple locations around Michigan for known associates of the suspect Rashad Trice. They had conducted door knocks and drone flyovers, used K-9 units and heat-sensing cameras on helicopters.

Here is everything we know about the case

Bacteria closes 15 beaches in Oakland County

There are 15 beach closures around Oakland County following monitoring at inland lakes that showed high levels of bacteria. Three other advisories including a closure in Macomb County were also in effect, according to the state's beach guard website.

The lakes in Oakland County closed for contaminants include:

Van Norman Lake, Upper Pettibone Lake, Duck Lake, Cass Lake, Hammond Lake, Elizabeth Lake, Eagle Lake, Sylvan Lake, Carter Lake, Walled Lake, and Wolverine Lake.

The surveys are conducted by the Oakland County Health Division, which typically monitors lakes about once a week. The source of the bacteria is unknown. 

Golf from Comerica Park's upper deck

Would you want to whack a golf ball as hard as you could in the middle of downtown Detroit? The opportunity may be coming from one of the coolest spots in the city. Following the end of the Detroit Tiger's season, people will have a chance to tee off from the upper deck of Comerica Park, home of the city's baseball team.

A partnership between the team and Upper Deck Golf announced plans for the authentic round of golf. There will even be custom greens on the field, a release announced Wednesday. There will be live music, food, and beverage specials as well. 

The event will take place over three consecutive days following the end of the Tiger's season. Tee times will start as early as 7 a.m. and go as late as 9 p.m. Booking will be required to attend. There will also be a VIP time which includes free entry into driving, chipping, and putting challenges.

Registration will open in early September, however fans can register for early access to the tee times at upperdeckgolfing.com/comericapark. Tigers fans will get early access to the event.

Learn more here.

Fourth of July party leaves Detroit neighborhood trashed

Residents of a Detroit neighborhood feared for their safety and were left with a mess after a Fourth of July party got out of hand. Hundreds of people packed the street and left behind tons of trash. It is hard to tell how many people were there, in images and videos from the scene, neighbors estimate in the hundreds.

"We had over 100 calls to the police officers between all of our neighbors and we got no where with it" said neighbor Toya Robinson. "We were all literally just sitting ducks."

One neighbor said they saw several partygoers armed, including two AR-15s. While some residents considered trying to shoo away people, the prospect of getting shot was top of mind. "When he (Robinson's husband) walked out there to defend our house I knew the possibility of him getting shot was massive," she said. "He’s trying to defend our house our family.

Residents are as upset with police as much as the people who attended the party. A community meeting is scheduled between residents in the 12th precinct and the department. 

Read more here.

Detroit seniors left without A/C

As temperatures soar across the state, residents at the Across The Parks apartments, located on Detroit’s west side, have been experiencing significant cooling issues. The building's residents, who are mostly elderly or have illnesses, have gone without air conditioning for almost a week. 

"I have multiple sclerosis and it's a heat-related illness. I have not been well at all." said resident Roy Rusha.

In a recent statement, the City of Detroit emphasized its commitment to the well-being of its residents, despite air conditioning not being a requirement in the City's property maintenance code. According to the property manager, a part has been ordered for repair and is expected to arrive from Texas this Friday.

In the meantime, property staff will be performing resident wellness checks and setting up a community cooling room. A city inspector will also perform temperature checks in some units and the community room. Detroit libraries and recreation centers are operating as relief locations during normal hours of operation.

Live on FOX 2

Daily Forecast

Temperatures won't climb so high Thursday, though the mugginess from the moisture in the air will stick around. A cold front is in route that should cool things down more Friday. Plan on some rain as well Thursday.

What else we're watching

1. The fallout from Fourth of July's chaotic firework displays continue. Dearborn police alone had 50 calls for service for firework-related incidents. Several citations were issued and one mortar was allegedly launched at a police car.
2. Dearborn Heights is planning to demolish and rebuild its old fire department's headquarters. It's getting funding from the state for the new project.
3. The Detroit Department of Transportation secured continued service for its differently-abled residents who have mobility issues. The city council voted to approve contracts with several providers that have seen improvement in service since Detroit dumped French transportation company Transdev.
4. Consumers Energy wants to pilot a program burying its electrical lines. It plans to roll out the initiative in several counties in mid-Michigan. Learn more here.
5. The Michigan Jazz Festival is July 16. But we can't wait that long to hear some of the amazing talent out of the music event and will have some musicians on the Noon to play for viewers.

Morning-after pill vending machines gain popularity at college campuses post-Roe

Need Plan B? Tap your credit card and enter B6.

Since last November, a library at the University of Washington has featured a different kind of vending machine, one that’s become more popular on campuses around the country since the U.S. Supreme Court ended constitutional protections for abortion last year. It’s stocked with ibuprofen, pregnancy tests and the morning-after pill.

With some states enacting abortion bans and others enshrining protections and expanding access to birth control, the machines are part of a push on college campuses to ensure emergency contraceptives are cheap, discreet and widely available.

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