Cousins kidnapped from Kentucky and Tennessee may have been taken to Michigan, cops say
UPDATE: The cousins who were kidnapped from Kentucky and Tennessee earlier this month have been found safe in California, officials say. The boy’s father was arrested.
ORIGINAL STORY:
A 16-year-old girl and 3-year-old boy kidnapped this month from Kentucky and Tennessee may be traveling north to Michigan, police say.
Jacob Clare is accused of not dropping off his 3-year-old son, Noah Clare, at the boy’s home in Gallatin, Tennessee, McClatchy News reported. The father is also accused of kidnapping his niece, 16-year-old Amber Clare, from her home in Beaver Dam, Kentucky.
The cousins were reported missing Nov. 7, and Michigan State Police said Nov. 15 they may be traveling with Jacob Clare to northern Michigan near Harbor Springs. Police did not say why Jacob Clare would be traveling to the Michigan town, which is along Lake Michigan.
The Ohio County Sheriff’s Office in Kentucky initially said last week they may be traveling to the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee, McClatchy News reported.
Jacob Clare is believed to be traveling in a silver Subaru Outback with Tennessee license plates.
Noah’s mother, Amanda Ennis, said a custody agreement has allowed Jacob to get their child every other weekend, WVLT reported.
“If I knew that he was gonna do this, I would’ve never let him go,” Ennis said. “I don’t care how much trouble I would’ve got in. I wouldn’t have let him go if I knew Jake was gonna flee.”
Police in Dothan, Alabama, said Nov. 9 that Amber may have been seen at the city’s National Peanut Festival on Nov. 7.
Noah is 3 feet, 4 inches tall and weighs 40 pounds with curly light brown hair and blue eyes. Amber is 5 feet, 7 inches, 140 pounds with dirty blonde hair and green eyes.
Jacob Clare is 6 feet, 7 inches, 180 pounds with short brown hair and blue eyes. He has a slender, slightly muscular build with tribal tattoos across his left arm and shoulder. He is wanted in Kentucky and Tennessee for custodial interference, McClatchy News reported.
Additional pictures of the missing children have been shared in a “Bring Noah & Amber Home” Facebook group.
“I just never in my entire life thought he would do something like this,” Christi Mclain, Jacob’s sister, told WFIE. “We just want them home. We just want to know they’re OK.”
Anyone with information can contact Beaver Dam police at 270-274-7106, Gallatin police at 615-452-1313 or Michigan State Police at 989-732-5141.
This story was originally published November 15, 2021 at 8:06 AM with the headline "Cousins kidnapped from Kentucky and Tennessee may have been taken to Michigan, cops say."