Crime
Melanie Nadler Litt Found, but Husband Lesley Litt Says She Remains Unsafe and in a Mental Health Crisis
COBB COUNTY, GA — The search for 52-year-old Melanie Nadler Litt, who was reported missing earlier this week, has taken a troubling turn despite police announcing that she had been found safe.
According to the Cobb County Police Department, Melanie Litt was located and appeared unharmed, prompting authorities to cancel the BOLO (Be On the Lookout) alert.
In a public statement, police reassured residents that “Melanie was not in any danger, and there is no indication of foul play.”
However, Melanie’s husband, Lesley Litt, has publicly disputed that assessment, stating that his wife is “not safe” and is in the midst of a severe mental health crisis.
Lesley Litt claims that Melanie is being manipulated and controlled by the man she was found with, describing the situation as one of psychological and possibly physical abuse.
Witnesses have corroborated seeing Melanie in distress.
One man, identified on social media as Billy Robertson, said he recognized her at a market — identifying her as his dentist — and confronted the man accompanying her.
According to Robertson, the man became aggressive and began shouting, after which he grabbed Melanie and quickly left the area.
In a post describing the encounter, Robertson wrote:
“I literally found the missing woman and chased the man. I confronted them, and she was so scared. When I asked if she was OK, the male grabbed her and took off with her. I gave chase. He tried to say her husband was after them.”
Lesley Litt has since confirmed that the individual seen with his wife has a history of domestic violence, including charges related to assaulting a previous partner.
He fears that Melanie, who he says is not thinking clearly, may be too afraid or disoriented to ask for help.
Melanie Litt was reported missing on Tuesday morning after failing to arrive for work at Family Dentistry at Seven Hills in Dallas, Georgia. She had worked the previous day at another office on Villa Rica Way in Marietta.
When police conducted a welfare check at her residence, they found her cell phone left behind, though her vehicle was missing. That vehicle was later discovered abandoned behind a business on Barrett Parkway.
A coworker reported last speaking with Melanie on the evening of October 12, when she had dinner with a friend. She was scheduled to leave the following Wednesday for a trip to Japan with her husband.
Lesley Litt stated that he was out of town visiting their son when his wife disappeared and immediately contacted authorities after learning she had not shown up for work.
Despite official statements, Melanie’s husband insists that she remains in danger and is not receiving proper care or protection.
He is urging anyone who encounters her to call 988, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, and to report her location to authorities immediately rather than allowing her to leave.
Lesley emphasized,
“The police do not know her. They did not do her justice and let them both walk away. She needs professional mental health intervention immediately.”
The case remains under review, and concern continues to grow among family, friends, and community members who fear that Melanie Litt may still be in harm’s way.
BEND, Ore. — Rhoam Summer, 5, has been identified as the first reported victim of the deadly shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon, where preliminary reports indicate that four victims, including three children and one adult, were killed. The 16-year-old suspect also died, bringing the reported death toll to five.
The shooting prompted a major law enforcement and emergency response Thursday afternoon, October 15, 2026, after Bend police issued an active-shooter alert at approximately 1:17 p.m. Authorities described a large police presence at the school and urged the public to avoid the area.
Information provided in preliminary reports indicated that the children killed were ages 5, 8 and 11. One teacher was also reported dead. Rhoam Summer, 5, was identified as the first victim publicly named in connection with the tragedy.
Authorities had not yet released the names of the other reported victims in the information available for this report.
According to preliminary information attributed to federal law enforcement, four victims died as a result of the shooting: three children and one adult. The suspected shooter, a 16-year-old Bend resident, was also reported dead.
This brings the reported total to five deaths, including the suspect.
Reports indicated that two additional people were transported for medical treatment in critical condition. They were described as a 7-year-old child and a 54-year-old teacher.
The reported casualties have not all been independently confirmed through a complete official victim list. Further information from law enforcement and medical authorities is needed to establish the final number of injured people and the conditions of those receiving treatment.
Preliminary reports identified the suspected shooter as a 16-year-old resident of Bend. The teenager was reportedly armed with a shotgun.
Scanner traffic and early reports indicated that a bystander, described as a Good Samaritan and possibly the father of a student, shot and killed the suspect. Reports also described the bystander as someone legally carrying a concealed firearm.
However, the circumstances surrounding the suspect’s death, including the identity and role of the bystander, require confirmation from law enforcement. These details should not be considered established facts until officials release an authoritative account.
Authorities had reported that the suspect was deceased, but further verified information about the sequence of events was not available in the preliminary reports summarized here.
Bend police issued an alert at approximately 1:17 p.m. Thursday reporting an active shooter at Silver Rail Elementary School in southeast Bend.
The initial alert provided limited information but warned residents of a large police presence and urged them to stay away from the area. Police, fire crews and emergency medical personnel responded to the school.
The incident triggered urgent safety measures as authorities worked to secure the campus, assess casualties and coordinate the emergency response.
Approximately 10 minutes after the initial alert, police announced that a reunification site had been established at Journey Church, located at 61303 S Highway 97, near Goodwill and Dairy Queen.
Families of students were instructed to go to the designated location to reunite with their children.
Parents also received alerts indicating that nearby schools, including Caldera High School and Jewell Elementary, had been placed under lockdown as a precaution while law enforcement responded to the shooting.
The shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School has left families and the Bend community facing a devastating loss. The reported deaths of three children and one adult, along with the death of the teenage suspect, have made the incident one of the most serious school emergencies reported in the area.
Investigators are expected to establish the sequence of events, confirm the identities of the victims, determine how the shooting unfolded and clarify the circumstances surrounding the suspect’s death.