Calling his son innocent, the father of Derion Vence, the only suspect in the case of missing Maleah Davis, spoke out from his home in St. Louis.
In an interview with the IckedMel YouTube Channel run by Melvin Cedeno, Joe Vence Sr. admits his son's story of being attacked and kidnapped while checking a tire sounds far-fetched, but he is asking the public to hold back judgement.
"Yeah, I believe my son is innocent and I believe his story," Joe said. "Derion had those kids most of the time, he's the one who took care of the kids."
Vence says his son was the most responsible adult in Maleah and her two brother's lives, doing all the daycare drop-offs, most of the pick-ups, helping them with developmental delays and raising Maleah like his own.
He says the little girl's mother,
Brittany Bowens, is a liar.
"I really believe either she has something to do with it, like he's been set up in some type of way," Joe said. "I know he didn't do anything to her because he loves her. He's been taking care of her since she was like 1-year-old."
And as for the allegations made by Maleah's mother, claiming Derion abused and molested the little girl, he says they're fabricated.
"Why would you leave your child at home with him if he's doing all of these things?" Joe said.