Nearly a Year After Going Missing, Two Kidnapped Children Found After Routine Vehicle Tag Check

Two children reported missing in Missouri in March were found last week in Florida. The children were identified as Brooke Gilley, 11, and Adrian Gilley, 12,  according to Fox News.

Brooke Gilley, 11, and her 12 year old brother Adrian Gilley were found at a grocery store in High Springs, Florida, nearly a year after they were reported missing (Liberty Police Department) A felony kidnapping warrant was issued for Ms Gilley on 13 July last year. SEE BELOW pic.twitter.com/9HGKHoenjS

— Bridget Anne Day (@BridgetAnneDay2) February 6, 2023

Kristi Nicole Gilley, 36,  the non-custodial mother of the children was arrested, according to NBC. Florida’s High Springs Police Department, in north central Florida outside Gainesville, posted news about the recovery on Facebook. “On February 1, 2023, HSPD located two abducted Missouri children and their abductor after a routine vehicle tag check indicated the vehicle owner was a fugitive,” the post stated. The post said Gilley and the children were found inside a Winn Dixie grocery store. All three were disguised, the post stated without details.

Police said Kristi Gilley, a noncustodial parent of the kids, was arrested on a kidnapping warrant out of Clay County, Missouri.

https://t.co/uNDv8w8MIa — WDBJ7 (@WDBJ7) February 4, 2023

According to NBC, Bryan Gilley, the children’s father, said Kristi Gilley, his ex-wife, limited the children’s interaction with strangers while she had them on the run. “My kids were missing. I didn’t know where they are. … That’s the biggest fear in the world,” Gilley, 38, said in an interview Monday, NBC reported. “It is an understatement to say I was terrified and freaked out.” Adrian Gilley has Down’s syndrome, NBC reported. Kristi Gilley was held on a kidnapping warrant issued in Clay County, Missouri, the post stated. The children were turned over to the Florida Department of Children and Families. They will eventually be reunited with their custodial family, the post said. At one point, the children were suspected to have been in California with Gilley, according to the U.K. Daily Mail. Police did not release the circumstances of how the children were taken from Missouri.

Estimated number of children reported missing per year:

🇺🇸 USA 460,000 🇬🇧 UK 112,000 🇩🇪 Germany 100,000 🇮🇳 India 96,000 🇷🇺 Russia 45,000 🇨🇦 Canada 45,000 🇪🇸 Spain 20,000 This is only a snapshot of the problem. In many countries, statistics on missing children are not available. — James Melville (@JamesMelville) October 19, 2022

The Liberty, Missouri, Police Department posted a celebratory message on Facebook. “Both Gilley kids have been safely located out of state,” the post stated. “Thank you to everyone who shared this post as it helped bring these children home!!!” This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.