Update (1 p.m. Tuesday): Ashlynn, 10, and Desman Wells, 11, who were abducted Monday afternoon in Rusk, Texas have been found, according to the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office.
They were found with 32-year-old Jesse Ray Schmidt in Kilgore, the office said. The children are safe and have been released to CPS custody.
Authorities said Schmidt was arrested and charged with kidnapping in connection with their abduction. He is being held in the Cherokee County Jail on a $500,000 bond.
Cherokee County Sheriff Brent Dickson told KLTV that he was living with the victims’ family, but it’s unclear why he took the children.
The case remains under investigation.
In regard to the abduction of the two juveniles this morning, Jesse Schmidt has been arrested and charged with...
Posted by Cherokee County Sheriff's Office on Tuesday, August 31, 2021
Original (6:27 a.m. Tuesday): Authorities are searching for a boy and girl who were abducted Monday afternoon in East Texas.
Ashlynn, 10, and Desman Wells, 11, were last seen at 1:15 p.m. in the 11200 block of U.S. Hwy 84 West in the city of Rusk in Cherokee County, according to an Amber Alert issued Tuesday morning.
The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office said they searching for Jesse Ray Schmidt in their disappearance.
He is 32 years old, 5 feet, 10 inches tall, 160 pounds, has hazel eyes, and has brown hair. He may be driving a black Honda Civic with the Texas license plate BNX6155.
Schmidt was last heard from in Rusk, which is located just northwest of Nacogdoches.
Ashlynn Wells is 5 feet, 2 inches tall, 109 pounds, has blue eyes, and has blond hair. She was last seen wearing a peach t-shirt, peach shorts, and grey/pink Nike shoes.
Desmond Wells is 5 feet, 5 inches tall, 154 pounds, has brown eyes, and has blond hair. He was last seen wearing a blue/black t-shirt, gray shorts, and Wolverine hiking boots.
Anyone with information about their whereabouts is asked to contact the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office at 903-683-2271.
The alert states that officials believe the children are in grave or immediate danger. Their relationship to Schmidt is unclear at this time.
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