Michael Anthony Hughes
Encyclopedia
Michael Anthony Hughes (March 21, 1988 - Missing since September 12, 1994) is a missing person who was abducted
from Indian Meridian Elementary School in Choctaw, Oklahoma
(near Oklahoma City
) on September 12, 1994 by Franklin Delano Floyd, who has claimed to be the child's father. Michael has not been seen since the day he was abducted and his current whereabouts remain unknown.
Once Michael was in his custody, Floyd forced both him and Davis into the principal's pick-up truck and ordered the principal to drive out into the country. In a wooded area, Floyd handcuffed Principal Davis to a tree and fled with the boy.
Five hours later, the principal was rescued. For the next two months, there was no sign of either Franklin Floyd or Michael Hughes. Police swore out an arrest warrant
on the charge of kidnapping
. Eventually, Floyd was arrested in Louisville, Kentucky
, but the child was not with him and no trace was found of him.
Franklin Floyd is currently serving a fifty-two year prison sentence for abducting Michael. He has also been sentenced to death in the state of Florida for the murder of Cheryl Ann Commesso in 1989. Floyd was eventually arrested and tried, in 2002, for the murder of Cheryl Ann Commesso, for which he was sentenced to death.
to her son Michael, whom Floyd claimed as his child. Following Michael's birth, he and Sharon married despite Floyd's previous statement that she was his daughter. The Florida murder victim, Cheryl Ann Commesso, was a friend of Sharon's; the two had worked together as exotic dancers. Earlier, Sharon had been an excellent student in high school and had been offered a scholarship to college. Floyd and Sharon left Florida after the murder.
In 1990, while she and Floyd were both wanted for questioning in the Commesso case, Sharon herself was killed in a hit-and-run accident in Oklahoma. Although Floyd was the prime suspect for the crime, he was never formally charged. He disappeared soon after Sharon 's death, leaving a two-year-old Michael in the care of social services. After being placed with foster
parents, it was found Michael was developmentally delayed and prone to emotional problems although he made progress over time.
Floyd was arrested on a parole
violation six months after he left Michael and a DNA test proved he could not be the boy's biological father. Despite this, Floyd demanded custody of the child when he was released from prison although his appeals were denied. It was six months after he was refused custodial rights over Michael that he abducted the child from his elementary school classroom. Police DNA tests later revealed that Sharon was not Floyd's daughter either and it is believed that she, too, might have been abducted by him as a child.
Other sources report that Floyd has stated, and continues to maintain, that Hughes is still alive and safe; Floyd has refused to disclose Hughes' exact location (citing vague locations such as "outside the U.S." or "in Atlanta, Georgia") or who is presently caring for him.
Kidnapping
In criminal law, kidnapping is the taking away or transportation of a person against that person's will, usually to hold the person in false imprisonment, a confinement without legal authority...
from Indian Meridian Elementary School in Choctaw, Oklahoma
Choctaw, Oklahoma
Choctaw is the oldest chartered town in Oklahoma. Choctaw physically became a community in 1890, but was not given actual status as a town until 1893 when a territorial governor was appointed for Oklahoma. It officially celebrated its 100th anniversary in 1993....
(near Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Oklahoma City is the capital and the largest city in the state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, the city ranks 31st among United States cities in population. The city's population, from the 2010 census, was 579,999, with a metro-area population of 1,252,987 . In 2010, the Oklahoma...
) on September 12, 1994 by Franklin Delano Floyd, who has claimed to be the child's father. Michael has not been seen since the day he was abducted and his current whereabouts remain unknown.
Abduction
Floyd entered Indian Meridian Elementary School in Choctaw, Oklahoma on September 12, 1994 and went to the office of James Davis, the school principal, where Floyd claimed he was the father of the then six-year-old Michael, who was in First Grade. Floyd then told Davis he was armed and forced the principal to take him to Michael's classroom.Once Michael was in his custody, Floyd forced both him and Davis into the principal's pick-up truck and ordered the principal to drive out into the country. In a wooded area, Floyd handcuffed Principal Davis to a tree and fled with the boy.
Five hours later, the principal was rescued. For the next two months, there was no sign of either Franklin Floyd or Michael Hughes. Police swore out an arrest warrant
Arrest warrant
An arrest warrant is a warrant issued by and on behalf of the state, which authorizes the arrest and detention of an individual.-Canada:Arrest warrants are issued by a judge or justice of the peace under the Criminal Code of Canada....
on the charge of kidnapping
Kidnapping
In criminal law, kidnapping is the taking away or transportation of a person against that person's will, usually to hold the person in false imprisonment, a confinement without legal authority...
. Eventually, Floyd was arrested in Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
, but the child was not with him and no trace was found of him.
Franklin Floyd is currently serving a fifty-two year prison sentence for abducting Michael. He has also been sentenced to death in the state of Florida for the murder of Cheryl Ann Commesso in 1989. Floyd was eventually arrested and tried, in 2002, for the murder of Cheryl Ann Commesso, for which he was sentenced to death.
Life prior to disappearance
Evidence emerged that Franklin Floyd may not have been who he claimed he was and, in turn, cast doubt on his parental link to Michael. In 1975, Floyd used the name 'Trenton B. Davis' while living in Oklahoma City. He lived with a little girl who he stated was his daughter "Sharon Marshall". During the subsequent decade, the pair moved around under different aliases until 1988 when Sharon, then aged seventeen, gave birth in Tampa, FloridaTampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
to her son Michael, whom Floyd claimed as his child. Following Michael's birth, he and Sharon married despite Floyd's previous statement that she was his daughter. The Florida murder victim, Cheryl Ann Commesso, was a friend of Sharon's; the two had worked together as exotic dancers. Earlier, Sharon had been an excellent student in high school and had been offered a scholarship to college. Floyd and Sharon left Florida after the murder.
In 1990, while she and Floyd were both wanted for questioning in the Commesso case, Sharon herself was killed in a hit-and-run accident in Oklahoma. Although Floyd was the prime suspect for the crime, he was never formally charged. He disappeared soon after Sharon 's death, leaving a two-year-old Michael in the care of social services. After being placed with foster
Foster
- Places :Australia* Foster, VictoriaUnited States* Foster, California ** Foster, San Diego County, California** Foster, Siskiyou County, California* Foster, Indiana* Foster, Missouri* Foster, Nebraska* Foster, Oregon* Foster, Rhode Island...
parents, it was found Michael was developmentally delayed and prone to emotional problems although he made progress over time.
Floyd was arrested on a parole
Parole
Parole may have different meanings depending on the field and judiciary system. All of the meanings originated from the French parole . Following its use in late-resurrected Anglo-French chivalric practice, the term became associated with the release of prisoners based on prisoners giving their...
violation six months after he left Michael and a DNA test proved he could not be the boy's biological father. Despite this, Floyd demanded custody of the child when he was released from prison although his appeals were denied. It was six months after he was refused custodial rights over Michael that he abducted the child from his elementary school classroom. Police DNA tests later revealed that Sharon was not Floyd's daughter either and it is believed that she, too, might have been abducted by him as a child.
Investigation
Government authorities have received conflicting reports as to what has happened to Hughes. Some witness statements detail an alleged confessions by Floyd regarding Michael's death. According to these reports, Floyd reportedly told his sister that he drowned the child in a Georgia motel's bathtub in 1994. Other witnesses stated that Floyd told them he murdered Michael in the same manner, while another person claimed he saw Floyd bury Michael's body in a cemetery.Other sources report that Floyd has stated, and continues to maintain, that Hughes is still alive and safe; Floyd has refused to disclose Hughes' exact location (citing vague locations such as "outside the U.S." or "in Atlanta, Georgia") or who is presently caring for him.