U.S. Marshals Service recover missing Canton children in Iceland
Gazette staff
CANTON The U.S. Marshals Service in Northern Ohio, in conjunction with the Canton Police Department and the U.S. State Department recovered two missing children in Reykjavik, Iceland on Jan. 10, according to a news release. The two children – 8 and 9 years old – both from Canton, were reported missing to CPD on Oct. 25. Canton Police began investigating their whereabouts after a family member reported them missing. The report indicated the 34-year-old mother stopped taking her mental health medication, abandoned her apartment, and the children stopped attending school. The CPD eventually requested the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Missing Child Unit in Cleveland, and a dual investigation ensued, the news release states.
The missing children were initially tracked to Denver, Colorado. As the case intensified, investigators learned the three traveled to London, England and then on to the Island of Jersey in the English Channel. From there they traveled to a remote fishing village in Iceland, and finally were located by Icelandic Police at a hotel in Reykjavik. The children were placed in the care of Iceland social services until a trusted family member could get them. The mother was placed in a hospital where she will remain until she is well enough to travel back to the U.S.
Cooperation between the Canton Police Department, the U.S. Marshals Service, Interpol, State Department, National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) and authorities in both England and Iceland resulted in the recovery. NCMEC provided financial support to reunite the children with family in the U.S. and return them home.
U.S. Marshal Pete Elliott stated in the release: “The collaboration of effort in this case can’t be understated. The ability to respond and recover these children abroad is an extremely difficult task. Our investigators did an outstanding job. We are lucky to have such strong and dedicated law enforcement partners and credit should be given to them for helping bring these children home.”
Anyone with information concerning a wanted fugitive can contact the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force at 1-866-4WANTED (1-866-492-6833), or you can submit a web tip. Reward money is available, and tipsters may remain anonymous.
