Child in Amber Alert safely recovered in Tarkington

A 7-year-old girl at the center of a San Jacinto County Amber Alert has been safely located. Hazel Hodge Lassiter was found overnight at a home on the 700 block of CR 2250 in Tarkington, according to authorities.

Captain David Meyers, spokesman for the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office, said deputies were directed to the area following leads from the San Jacinto County Sheriff’s Office.

“Sgt. Travis Pierce pulled into a driveway and saw a man walking who informed him that the child and her parents were inside one of the homes,” Meyers said.

Upon arriving at the home, Sgt. Pierce was met by Hazel’s mother, Ashley Doss Lassiter, 41, who identified herself. Pierce then checked on the child’s welfare and found her asleep in a bed. The San Jacinto County Sheriff’s Office was immediately notified of her recovery.

Hazel’s father, Brandon Lassiter, was reportedly not at the residence as he was working in a neighboring town, Meyers said.

The Amber Alert had been issued late on Friday evening, December 13, after CPS investigators alerted police to concerns for Hazel’s safety. San Jacinto County Sheriff Greg Capers explained that Hazel has been the subject of an ongoing CPS investigation since September 25, 2024. Efforts to schedule court hearings with the parents had been unsuccessful.

“This week, CPS contacted our office with a subpoena to take custody of the child but could not find her. They asked for our help and expressed concern that the child was in immediate danger,” Capers said. “As soon as we received request, our office acted quickly to locate Hazel and issued all relevant notices.”