Two children, a teenager and a 3-year-old, were located in Gulfport, Miss. this afternoon, just a few hours after they were reportedly abducted from an Atmore gas station.
Bruice Jyrome Jonson, 58, of San Antonio, Texas, was detained in Gulfport. He faces charges in Alabama for interference with child custody. The children were safe and unharmed.
Jonson had been sought since the incident occurred around 9:30 a.m., after the two children apparently went with him of their own free will at a gas station near the intersection of Jack Springs Road and I-65.
The mother of the children told police the suspect was her husband, from whom she is currently separated. She said she left Texas with the children earlier today with intentions of moving to Alabama.
When she pulled into the gas station to refuel her truck, the children went inside the store. Minutes later, she told police, the children left the store and got into the husband’s vehicle.
The younger child is the husband’s biological child but the 16-year-old is not. The woman initially said she did not feel the children were in danger but wanted them back in her custody.
Atmore police investigating apparent abduction of 2 children
A Mobile television station reported today (Thursday, February 4) that Atmore police are investigating the abduction earlier today of two children from an Atmore gas station-convenience store.
According to WKRG-TV, APD Chief Chuck Brooks confirmed this morning that the children, whose ages and genders were not provided,, were abducted around 9 a.m. from the unidentified store’s parking lot. Police believe the man who took the children followed their mother and them into the area from Texas
One of the youngsters is reportedly the biological child of the suspect, who has not been identified by police. Brooks reportedly said the incident stemmed from a custody issue and was not a random act.
The local police chief had not by 11:30 a.m. today issued a formal press release.