3-Year-Old Kidnapped Child Found Safe in Kentwood, Suspect in Custody

The Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office has reported that kidnapped 3-year-old Christopher Cooper has been found safe and the suspected kidnapper, 49 year-old James Casey Mercier (pictured right) of McComb is in custody. 

At around 9:45 p.m. on Tuesday (September 30, 2025) night, the child's mother reported having been in the vehicle with Mercier and her child traveling south on I-55 when they pulled over north of Kentwood at the Welcome Center. When the mother got out of the car to get the child out of the backseat, Mercier took off with the child traveling southbound.

At 11:41 p.m., the TPSO requested the public’s assistance with locating the child and an Amber Alert (shown below) was issued. At 6:01 a.m. on Wednesday (October 1, 2025) morning, the TPSO advised that the child was located sleeping in the back of the suspect vehicle in the parking lot of a business in the Kentwood area. At 7:58 a.m. on Wednesday morning, the TPSO advised that Mercer had been taken into custody and is being charged, at this time, with Aggravated Kidnapping.

***All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty***