Nearly a year after two children from Missouri went missing, they were found by the police shopping at a Florida grocery store with their alleged abductor. The High Springs Police Department made the discovery during a routine vehicle tag check near a Winn-Dixie store. The vehicle was owned by 36-year-old Kristi Nicole Gilley, who was the noncustodial mother of the two missing children and was also a fugitive.
According to the authorities, Gilley kidnapped her two children, 11-year-old Brooke and 12-year-old Adrian, on March 15, 2022. The trio was finally located in the Winn-Dixie grocery store and were found to have disguised their identities. Gilley was arrested on charges of kidnapping based on an active warrant from Clay County, Missouri.
The children were turned over to the Florida Department of Children and Families Services and will be reunited with their birth family. The reason for the abduction is not yet known. Clay County is located more than 1,100 miles away from High Springs, Florida.
This story has a happy ending, but serves as a reminder of the need for increased safety measures for children who are taken from their homes. It is important for authorities to act quickly and efficiently to bring these cases to a close and reunite children with their families.
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