Abducted Children Found Safe in Utah
Published: 08/03/2019
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 3, 2019
CONTACT:
Officer Ryan J. Railsback
Public Information Officer
Community Services Bureau
(951) 373-6032 (Media Contact)
ABDUCTED CHILDREN FOUND SAFE IN UTAH
RIVERSIDE, CA – On Tuesday, July 30, 2019, between 9:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m., a victim mother and her live-in boyfriend were in a verbal and physical domestic altercation at their residence, located in the 3100 block of Grace Street in Riverside. The mother put her 18-month-old and 8-month-old daughters to bed then temporary left the home to de-escalate the situation. She returned shortly before 11:00 p.m. and both the suspect boyfriend and children were gone.
Officers arrived and began their investigation in which they determined the boyfriend abducted the children without the mother’s consent, along with the children’s legal identification documents and other items. It was believed the boyfriend was planning to travel out of state with the mother’s children.
As this incident progressed, detectives with the Domestic Violence Unit responded to assume the investigation. A command center was activated with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NMEC), Riverside County Department of Public Social Services (DPSS), and the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office Family Justice Center. The FBI’s Inland Regional Apprehension Team (IRAT) also provided vital assistance and resources.
People claiming to be family members and advocates of the suspect contacted the lead detective regarding this investigation. These advocates stated they were in contact with the suspect but would not divulge his or the children’s whereabouts to police. They were given every opportunity to facilitate the safe return of the children, but maintained their lack of cooperation.
Photos of the abducted children, suspect, and his alleged father were distributed through the FBI and NMEC to law enforcement between California and Michigan. Detective also obtained an arrest warrant for the suspect, Joshua Adle, 24-years-old of Riverside. After over 36 hours of searching, an observant Trooper with the Utah Highway Patrol spotted a white Dodge van with California license plates traveling along Interstate 15 in Cedar City, Utah. He recognized the suspect and alleged father in the van from their photos, then conducted a traffic stop where he found the children along with the suspect’s alleged mother. The Utah Highway Patrol immediately reported to the command center that the children were safe and appeared to be unharmed.
Joshua Adle was arrested for the outstanding warrant out of Riverside County for kidnapping, parental abduction, and domestic violence. After further investigation and interviewing by the Utah Highway Patrol, Frank Marks and Angela Yonko were both arrested on probable cause for child kidnapping. All three were later booked into the Iron County Jail in Utah. It is believed the suspect and his alleged parents had no intentions to return the children to their mother.
The FBI coordinated the reunification of the victim with her children in Utah and have returned them back to California. The primary suspect will be held in Utah pending the extradition process for return to Riverside County to face charges listed in his arrest warrant.
This investigation is ongoing and collaborative with the FBI and Utah Highway Patrol. Anyone with further information should contact Detective Christian Vaughan of the Domestic Violence Unit at (951) 353-7606 or [email protected], or Sergeant Celeste Neiman at (951) 353-7611 or [email protected].
To view the livestreamed press conference regarding this investigation, please click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaM3zZPZ7Xs&feature=youtu.be
