Video: Mother and Child Reunion a Year in the Making

VAIDEN, Miss. (WCBI)-Wednesday was a day of celebration in the city of Vaiden as 3-year old Sterling Petty finally returned home.

The Carroll County town held a celebration for Sterlinng where he was greeted with tons of hugs and kisses from family and friends.

“Excited, amazed, and blessed,” said Sterling’s mother Callie Frith, as she described her emotions.

It was just over a year ago when Frith sent her son down to Florida to visit his father.

The two had been in a custody fight since she was awarded full custody.

“Well I agreed to it and a week turned into two weeks and me calling and them telling me they’re not even going to give him back to me at all,” Frith explained.

Frith said that left her devastated.

“It’s like they dropped off the face of the earth. I didn’t know where they were, their numbers got disconnected, their Facebook was deleted,” the mother recalled.

“We tracked the child all over the country for a good six months,” said Carroll County Sheriff Clint Walker.

Sheriff Walker said it was difficult trying to locate the boy. The father had tried to change the three year old’s name and appearance.

But then one day, a helpful tip came in.

“Thanks to social media, we put a reward out here and a tip came in near Miami Florida about a month ago,” said Sheriff Walker.

Once he was located, Frith and her parents drove over a thousand miles to South Florida to pick up to pick up Sterling.

“My son, he right away started calling my dad pop-pop which was cute, and he just started calling me mama and it was great,” said Frith. “It was like we never left. It was kind of like dropping him off for the weekend, because when he got back it was like, he knew who I was he was calling me mama, it was great.”

Now, this mother and community is reunited with Sterling just in time for the thanksgiving. A holiday that Frith didn’t get to spend with her son last year.

“I missed all of that last year now I get up for all of it this year,” saif Frith.

“This is the best day in my law enforcement career, over 20 years,”said Sheriff Walker. “The experience we have seeing this mother and child get together right here at thanksgiving, we had a lot of prayers that have been answered.”
Sterling’s father is still in Florida, and isn’t facing charges in the incident.