4-year-old found safe, father wanted for kidnapping
By Dan Thesman on Sunday, July 19th, 2026 in Columbia Basin News Columbia Basin Top Stories
KENNEWICK — A 4-year-old girl at the center of a regional Amber Alert has been found safe, but a massive manhunt remains underway for her father, who is considered armed and dangerous, police said Sunday.
Grace Susmilch was located unharmed in Pasco before 2 a.m. Sunday and has been reunited with family. The discovery ended a frantic, multi-agency search that began Saturday morning in nearby Kennewick.
The incident unfolded around 11 a.m. Saturday when Kennewick police responded to an assault in the 100 block of South Conway Place. Investigators believed the suspect, 41-year-old Matthew Susmilch, was barricaded inside an apartment with his daughter. A regional SWAT team and negotiators attempted to communicate with Susmilch, but he refused to cooperate.
By 3:30 p.m., SWAT resources discovered that Susmilch and the child had already fled the scene. After learning that Susmilch had made explicit threats to kill the child, Kennewick police requested an Amber Alert, which the Washington State Patrol broadcasted at 6:30 p.m.
A coordinated task force—including local police, the U.S. Marshals, and the FBI — ultimately tracked the child to Pasco.
Matthew Susmilch remains at large. He is wanted on charges of first-degree kidnapping, second-degree assault, and felony threats to kill. Authorities describe him as armed and dangerous, warning members of the public not to approach him. Anyone with information is urged to immediately call 911 or submit an anonymous tip through the Kennewick Police Department website.
Photo courtesy Kennewick Police Department
