Police pursuit leads to discovery of firearms, infant

The Cape Girardeau Police Department recovered three firearms Tuesday night after a half-mile vehicular pursuit ended with two suspects abandoning an infant in their car while attempting to flee on foot, according to Cape Girardeau police Sgt. Joey Hann.

Hann said the suspects were identified as Mark A. Brand, 30, and a juvenile male, 17, both of Cape Girardeau.

At 9:02 p.m., officers with the Cape Girardeau Police Department attempted to stop a Ford Fusion on Kingshighway at Victoria Drive when the vehicle failed to yield, according to Hann.

The suspect vehicle came to a stop when it was cornered on Melrose at Grandview, where Hann said the occupants fled the vehicle on foot and officers discovered an infant in the rear passenger floorboard of the vehicle.

The child was transported to a local hospital to assure the child's health and Missouri Department of Social Services children's division was called, according to Hann.

Hann said three loaded semi-automatic firearms were found in the vehicle and on the suspects, and one of the firearms was reported as stolen from Cape Girardeau.

Warrants were issued against Brand for first-degree endangerment of a child and unlawful possession of a firearm, and he was held on a $50,000 cash-only bond. Warrants were received against the juvenile male for delivery/concealment of prohibited items and receiving stolen property. The juvenile was held on a $25,000 cash or surety bond.