LIMA - Authorities are asking for the public’s help in finding four children who are missing from Allen County in western Ohio.
A missing child alert has been issued for states between Ohio and Florida as police say the children were taken by their non-custodial mother, Marianne Merritt, early Tuesday morning.
They range in age from 8 to 13.
It happened on North Main Street in Lima around 1:30 a.m. Although this is NOT an Amber Alert, police say the children may be in danger.
(video courtesy WKYC-TV)
Descriptions of the four children:
- Damara Croley: 13 years old. 5'3" tall. 180 pounds. Brown hair and blue eyes. Last seen wearing a red OSU shirt and Spiderman web pants.
- Benjamin Karl-Leland Croley: 12 years old. 5'1" tall. 120 pounds. Blond hair and blue eyes. Last seen wearing yellow smiley emoji pants.
- Patience Wilson: 9 years old. 4'5" tall. 80 pounds. Blonde hair and blue eyes. Last seen wearing a white top with dark blue or black leggings.
- Damien Wilson: 8 years old. 4'5" tall. 111 pounds. Blond hair and blue eyes. Last seen wearing a blue shirt and red / black shorts.
Their mother is described as 40 years old, 5’5” tall and weighs 210 pounds, with red hair and green eyes.
Police say Merritt could be traveling to Florida with boyfriend Charles Perkins.
Perkins has active warrants and is said to be abusive toward children. Police consider him "armed and dangerous," and described as 5'5" tall, weighing 164 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes.
Authorities are looking for a 2000 dark blue Chrysler Voyager minivan with Ohio plate FMQ3175 and a white passenger door.
Anybody with information is asked 911 or the Lima Police Department immediately at 419-227-4444.
(image courtesy Lima Police)