Officials: 4 children kidnapped by father found in Florida

SAGINAW CO., Mich. (WNEM) - Four children taken by their father were found in Florida Thursday, Sept. 15, according to U.S. Marshals.

According to authorities, one of the children was reported missing and endangered in April.

The investigation went to the U.S. Marshals last week, and began looking for the father, Joses Braxton. Investigators believed Braxton would lead them to the child.

Braxton, a long-haul trucker, was wanted on a felony warrant for parental kidnapping out of the Saginaw County Sheriff’s Office.

Further investigation revealed that in September 2021, Braxton also took three other children he fathered with a different mother. All of the children ranged in ages from 3 to 10 years old.

Authorities found out Braxton was in Florida and arrested him outside of a Walmart. All four children were found in the cab of Braxton’s semi-truck in the parking lot, according to investigators.

Once the children were safely recovered, the U.S. Marshal Services coordinated with the Michigan State Police Missing Child Clearing House to arrange for Child Protective Custody to take temporary custody of the children pending reunification.

“The Marshals Service is dedicated to helping recover critically missing and endangered children,” said U.S. Marshal for the Eastern District of Michigan Owen M. Cypher. “I’m especially proud of the dedication and tenacity displayed by our investigators, as well as the speed at which they acted to ensure the safe recovery of these kids.”