Father of missing Michigan boys arrested on kidnapping charges

2010-12-01 06:21:14 GMT+7 (ICT)

MORENCI, MICHIGAN (BNO NEWS) -- The father of the missing three boys of Morenci, Michigan, on Tuesday was arrested on three counts of parental kidnapping while the search for the minors continue, officials say.

John Skelton was taken into custody after he was released from the Fulton County Health Center in Ohio where he was admitted after his suicide attempt last Friday. He spent a few days in the mental health facility and is currently held at the Lucas County Corrections Center in Toledo.

Skelton is the father of the three missing children: Andrew, 9, Alexander, 7, and Tanner, 5. The three minors were last seen on Thanksgiving afternoon at their father's backyard. Their mother, Tanya Skelton, reported them missing the following day.

Police officers and many local volunteers have been looking for the boys for four days in areas that the family visited in the past. At one point a jacket was discovered but it has not been determined if it belongs to one of the missing children.

On Monday, search efforts focused on areas in Ohio and on Tuesday efforts were focused on areas closer to Morenci. With each day that the boys are missing, confidence to found them alive deteriorates.

John and Tanya Skelton were involved in a nasty divorce and custody battle in recent months. Tanya filed for divorce in September and John took his two eldest sons out of town twice, once even went to Florida but he was forced to return them back to Michigan.

John Skelton initially said that he gave the children to a woman called Joann Taylor but authorities definitively ruled out any connection between Skelton and Taylor. Later, he told the police that he did not believe that his children were alive. Last Friday, he tried to kill himself by hanging but failed.

On the other hand, Tanya Skelton was granted a motion for exclusive parenting time with her three children because of her husband’s claims of turning over the boys and suicide attempts. John alleged that he took the children as Tanya is a registered sex offender.

In the summer of 1998, Tanya, then 44 years old, had a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old boy. She served time in prison for fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct. Both individuals have children from previous relationships.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2010-12-01

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