Updated on April 22 at 7:15 p.m. ET:
The three young children have been “safely located,” according to the Roanoke County Police Department. Both suspects John Varion Allison and his wife Ruby Marie Allison have been taken into custody and face abduction charges and refusing to serve a court-ordered child removal.
#Virginia #AMBERAlert CANCELLED: Missing @RoanokeCounty children SAFELY LOCATED. Ruby Allison in police custody. @rpdsafercity @PublicSafetyVa @VaDOTSalem pic.twitter.com/DqmRtL9jgT
— VA State Police (@VSPPIO) April 22, 2020
Previously:
Authorities in Virginia said they are searching for three missing children who may have been abducted around 3:30 p.m. on April 21.
Virginia State Police have issued an Amber Alert on behalf of the Roanoke County Police Department and said the three missing children are believed to be in “extreme danger.”
The children were last seen in Roanoke County in Virginia and believed to have been abducted by John Varion Allison, police said.
Allison is described as a white male with blond hair and brown eyes. He is 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighs 185 pounds.
His wife, identified as Ruby Marie Allison, might also be involved in the abduction and traveling together with him, according to authorities.
Police described Ruby as a white female with brown hair and brown eyes. She is 5 foot 3 inches tall and weighing 160 pounds.
Allison might be operating a maroon 1999 Chevrolet Suburban SUV with Virginia plate numbered “VVU-3796” or a maroon 2006 Cadillac with plate number “VMV-8238,” police said.
The three missing children are identified as two 6-year-olds, Cameron and Emma Allison, and 21-month-old Colin Allison.
Cameron is described as a white male with brown hair and brown eyes and Emma is a white female with brown hair and brown eyes.
Colin is a white male with blonde hair and brown eyes.
Parental Kidnapping
According to the Polly Klaas Foundation, approximately 200,000 children are kidnapped each year by a family member.
Child custody experts say that people kidnap their own children to force a reconciliation or continued interaction with the other parent, to spite or punish the other parent, or from fear of losing custody or visitation rights.
Common warning signs include the other parent threatening abduction, suspected abuse, or paranoid delusion.