Boys Found in Cornfield After Mother Escapes Assault

Boys Located After Their Mother Escapes

Two boys were found unharmed in an Ohio cornfield after their mother escaped an assault at their Michigan home, police said. Their father allegedly restrained her before taking the children in her vehicle.

The search began in Inkster on Oct. 14 and reached Norwalk, Ohio. Police identified the father as Brandon Deandre Lee, 36, and said he was found dead in an apparent suicide.

Mother Frees Herself and Contacts Police

The woman reported that Lee assaulted and restrained her before leaving with their sons, according to Inkster police. She freed herself and contacted officers after suffering minor wrist injuries.

Lee later told her by telephone that he was in Detroit’s Rouge Park and threatened to harm himself and the children, police said. Officers searched the park area for more than an hour.

Cameras and Phone Information Trace the Vehicle

License-plate cameras showed the vehicle had left Inkster. Investigators then used cellphone-location information to trace its movements to Norwalk in Huron County, Ohio.

Police established telephone contact, and one child told officers they were in a cornfield, according to WDIV’s account of the police briefing. Officers subsequently located both boys and confirmed that they were safe.

Children Speak With Their Mother

Nurses and social workers cared for the children in Ohio while officers coordinated their return to Michigan. Both boys spoke with their mother by phone, police said.

Inkster and Detroit police worked with Norwalk police and the Huron County Sheriff’s Office during the search. Authorities said there was no ongoing threat to the community and that the investigation remained open.

References: Children found safe in Ohio cornfield after being abducted from Inkster; father found dead at scene | Kids found safe after Inkster father duct tapes mom, flees with them to Ohio