Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana, has been the center of two significant news stories recently, highlighting the complexities of free speech and the urgency of child abduction cases. First, a local resident's arrest over a Facebook post has ignited a debate about constitutional rights. Secondly, an Amber Alert was issued for a missing 2-year-old boy, prompting an intensive search.
Facebook Post Leads to Arrest, Sparks Free Speech Debate
Arden Wells, a 70-year-old resident of Tangipahoa Parish, was arrested by the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office (TPSO) in July for ‘Terrorizing’ due to a Facebook post. The sheriff’s office claims Wells falsely posted online that an inmate had escaped from the parish jail on June 24, 2025. Sheriff Gerald Sticker stated that falsely publicizing a concerning event like an inmate escape to scare people is not tolerated.
Wells, an outspoken critic of Sheriff Sticker, frequently used his Facebook page, which boasts over 10,000 followers, to criticize the sheriff's job performance and his push for a sales tax. The arrest affidavit references a June 24 Facebook post in which Wells wrote, “Deputies have blocked streets & a helicopter is flying over the jail, it appears a prisoner has escaped from the TPSO jail!” There was no jail escape that day.
The arrest has sparked a debate about the limits of free speech, with some arguing that Wells's post, while potentially misleading, did not pose a credible threat. Others support the sheriff's office's stance, arguing that such posts can cause undue panic and disruption.
Amber Alert Issued for Missing 2-Year-Old
An AMBER Alert has been issued on behalf of the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office for 2-year-old Christopher Cooper, who has been abducted. He was last seen at approximately 9:45 p.m. on Tuesday, September 30, 2025, traveling southbound on Interstate 55 near Kentwood in a white 2011 GMC Yukon.
Cooper is described as a light-skinned black male with brown eyes and short black hair. He is 3’2” tall and weighs approximately 40-50 pounds. He was last seen wearing a red shirt, black shorts, and blue Crocs shoes.
Authorities believe Cooper is with James Mercier, a white male. Mercier and Cooper are believed to be traveling in a white 2011 GMC Yukon with Mississippi license plate PJT070.
Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Mercier and Cooper is asked to immediately contact the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office at (985)345-6150 or dial 911.