Andrew, Alexander & Tanner Skelton missing/ John Skelton, Father Of 3 Missing Morenci Boys, Pleads No Contest To Unlawful Imprisonment/ Father of 3 missing Mich. boys gets 10-15 years

MORENCI, Mich. — Police were searching Sunday for three young brothers who haven't been seen since their father tried to hang himself, and investigators unraveling the man's strange story fear the boys are in grave danger.

At the heart of the investigation is a perplexing account by the father, 39-year-old John Skelton, who told investigators he'd left the boys in the care of a woman with whom he had an online relationship. Yet by late Saturday, officers had no luck finding the woman.

Skelton was being treated at a hospital in Ohio for "mental health issues" on Saturday, one day after he tried to kill himself, said Morenci Police Chief Larry Weeks. Morenci is about 75 miles southwest of Detroit and just north of the Ohio state line.

Skelton told investigators Friday that he didn't want the boys in his house when he committed suicide, so he asked a woman named Joann Taylor to take them to their mother, who is separated from Skelton. Weeks said Saturday that officers haven't been able to confirm that Taylor exists.

An Amber Alert was issued Friday for Skelton's sons: 9-year-old Andrew, 7-year-old Alexander and 5-year-old Tanner.

When asked if Skelton was a suspect in the boys' disappearance, Weeks said: "We haven't ruled anything out, yet."

Skelton, who reportedly is a long-haul truck driver, said he met Taylor several years ago and that the two had been involved in an online relationship. She was believed to live in Jackson or Hillsdale counties in southern Michigan.

But officers Saturday had no success tracking down a woman by that name or the silver van Skelton said she was driving.

"The bulk of our action has been putting together a timeline and trying to locate this Joann Taylor," said Weeks, whose agency was joined in the search by Michigan State Police and the FBI.

The Detroit Free Press reported that residents of Morenci searched parks, bike trails, in hollowed-out trees and along the banks of a creek for the missing boys on Saturday.

Kathye Herrera, who is serving as a spokeswoman for the family, told the newspaper that relatives were "hoping and praying and trying to stay positive."
source:
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Alexander, Andrew and Tanner Skelton have not been seen for days

Thank you BJ for posting their little faces. Around this time of year, these stories affect me terribly.

More involvement is needed by those watching these stories unfold. How many times do we hear Grandparents or neighbors say that they knew "something wasn't right"? It's time for all of us to step up to the plate and scream loud until something is done when a child's life is in peril. The danger doesn't just go away when it's ignored and the result is usually a dead child.
I bet Skelton's parents or his ex wife knew that he was unstable and this horrible situation wasn't something that just transpired in the last few hours that he had the children.

So the mother had contact with this mystery woman?

"We have not been able to locate a Joann Taylor or confirm that she even exists," Weeks told reporters Saturday evening.
The last non-family member saw the boys at 5 p.m. on Thursday, according to the chief.
Their mother, Tanya, has been with police "virtually the entire day" on Saturday, answering questions and serving as what Weeks called a "valuable resource at this time."
Weeks said Tanya Skelton had "contact with someone alleging to be Joann," adding only that this communication was not necessarily by phone or in person.

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I dont understand that last line - the mother had contact with this joann but not necessariy by phone or in person? Computer? telepathically?

Computer is what I was thinking, too, and it could have been correspondence from an email account set up by the father. You never know who's on the other end of an email. I'm sure LE will be looking at Skelton's computer if that's the case.

Reminds me of the Gabriel Johnson case.

Mother, Tanya Skelton, has been cooperating with police in order to get her children back. Tanya Skelton had “contact with someone alleging to be Joann, “Police Chief Larry Weeks stated. “We have not been able to locate a Joann Taylor or confirm that she even exists," Weeks told reporters Saturday evening.

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Guessing that there aren't two people with the same name and age in Michigan.

Intelius People Search
Tanya Lynn Skelton
44
Morenci, MI
US People Search
DERBY, TAMMIE LYNN
Associated names:
DERBY, TAMMY
DERBY, TANYA L
SKELTON, TANYA LYNN
Age 44
JASPER, MI
MORENCI, MI

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Bones
john skelton
Male
39 years old
Morenci, Michigan
United
Bones's Details
Status: Married
Here for: Networking, Friends
Orientation: Straight
Hometown: Jacksonville, FL
Body type: 5' 7" / Average
Ethnicity: White / Caucasian
Religion: Christian - other
Zodiac Sign: Sagittarius
Smoke / Drink: Yes / Yes
Children: Proud parent
Education: Some college
Occupation: Commodities Mover
Income: $45,000 to $60,000
Bones's Schools
Duncan U. Fletcher High School
Neptune Beach, FL
Graduated: 1990
Student status: Alumni
Degree: High School Diploma
Major: Commercial art
Minor: acedemic

Crafty Biker Mom
Female
44 years old
Morenci, Michigan
United States

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The case has raised many questions, even more after a post Skelton put on his Facebook page on Wednesday was found in which he makes references to God and his wife forgiving him.
Weeks said police haven't found any information on Taylor. Weeks didn't elaborate, but said Tanya Skelton was in contact with someone at one point who said she was Joann Taylor.
"At this point, I don't have any facts to indicate she exists," Weeks said.
Weeks said multiple agencies are working the case, including the FBI. He said police have towed a vehicle from John Skelton's house. Weeks also said police have spoken with members of Skelton's family, including his parents, who a family friend said live in Florida.
Kathye Herrera, a close friend and neighbor to Tanya Skelton's parents, attended news conferences in Morenci on Saturday and said the family has mixed feelings on the existence of Joann Taylor.
She said Skelton, a long-haul truck driver, had recently taken the boys to Florida. Relatives brought the boys back, but their mother filed for divorce and received custody, while Skelton got visitation rights, Herrera said.
"Everybody is still ... hoping and praying and trying to stay positive," said Herrera, who is serving as a spokeswoman for the family.
Morenci Area Schools Superintendent Michael Osborne said district administrators would meet this weekend to determine how to address the situation when school resumes Monday.
He said all three of the Skelton boys attended Morenci Elementary.
On Saturday, residents from the community scoured the area looking for the boys.
David Foster, 21, and Matt Barnhart, 20, said they spent hours searching.
"We're very worried," Foster said. "It's like it's our little brothers."
Haley Simpkins, 23, who said she's friends with Tanya Skelton's older daughters from a previous marriage, said she's shocked by the boys' disappearance and surprised by their father's actions.
"It's just devastating to know that those little boys are out there," she said.
Community members plan to go back out this morning. A prayer vigil is to be held at the United Methodist Church in town at 5:30 p.m. today and is open to the public.

Read more: Where are 3 missing Morenci brothers? | freep.com | Detroit Free Press [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Nichole DiCenso, a Morenci resident who knows the Skeltons, said this is at least the second time the boys' mother has had to search for them.
"(John Skelton) has taken them to Florida before, just after school started," DiCenso said. "She had to go down there and get them."
Anyone with information on the alleged victims, abductor or vehicle is asked to call 911 or the Morenci Police Department at (517) 263-0524.
Morenci is situated on Michigan's southern border with Ohio.

From The Detroit News: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Dozens of people in this small Lenawee County town searched wooded areas and parks well past sunset Saturday as police investigated the disappearance of three boys missing for a second day.

An Amber Alert was issued for Andrew Ryan Skelton, 9, Alexander William Skelton, 7, and Tanner Lucas Skelton, 5, who were reportedly last seen Friday in their father's backyard at his home in Morenci, said police Chief Larry Weeks.

The chief said the boys' father, John Skelton, 39, attempted to hang himself Friday. He told police he made the attempt sometime after giving his sons to a woman he knows.

Police said Mr. Skelton, who works as a long-haul truck driver, called an acquaintance after the failed attempt and the acquaintance drove him to Fulton County Health Center in Wauseon.

Afterward, Mr. Skelton told officers he gave the three boys to a woman named Joann Taylor and asked her Friday morning to deliver the boys to their mother, Tanya Skelton. The Skeltons are separated and in the midst of a divorce.

“Up to this point we have not been able to locate a Joann Taylor or confirm that she even exists,” Chief Weeks said. “We can't confirm whether or not it is a fake story.”

A car was towed from the Skelton home Saturday night, which Chief Weeks said was part of routine evidence preservation.

A Michigan State Police helicopter with thermal imaging equipment surveyed the area around Morenci after dark.

Volunteers planned to reconvene at 8 a.m. Sunday at the Morenci firehouse for a ground-based search, while a community prayer vigil was scheduled for 5:30 p.m. today in the Morenci United Methodist Church, 111 East Main St.

Police said Mr. Skelton told them he gave his sons to Ms. Taylor to take to their mother so they would not see him kill himself.

He also told police Ms. Taylor lives near either Hillsdale or Jackson, Mich.
“They developed a relationship several years ago in passing. He reports that they maintained a relationship over several years via e-mail,” Chief Weeks said.

Although the bulletin distributed by Amber Alert Michigan said the missing boys were “believed to be in extreme danger,” the police chief stopped short of saying they could be victims of foul play.

“Anytime you have children this old that are not with a caring loved one, I think you have to assume they are in some type of jeopardy. To react otherwise would be neglectful,” he said.

Ms. Skelton reported her children missing after they were overdue at her home Friday, police said.

Chief Weeks asked anyone who saw the boys after 2:30 p.m. Thursday to contact Morenci police.

John Russell Skelton posted a photo of the boys and a woman purported to be their mother on his Facebook page next to a message seeking forgiveness.

“We have been able to confirm outside immediate family members that two of the boys were seen Thursday afternoon,” Chief Weeks said.

Mr. Skelton updated his Facebook page Wednesday with the status: “I love my wife very much. May God and Tanya forgive me.”

The missing boys are white. Andrew is 4 feet 1 inch, weighs 57 pounds and has brown eyes and hair. Alexander is 3 feet 9 inches, weighs 45 pounds, has brown eyes and hair and has a scar at his hairline and on his chin. Tanner is 3 feet 6 inches with blue eyes and blond hair.

Friends and neighbors painted a picture of a broken family for the Skeltons.
Charles Cox, a retiree who lives near Mr. Skelton, said Ms. Skelton moved out of the home in the fall.

“I last saw the father come in with his van on Tuesday or early in the week,” Mr. Cox said. “I know the kids better than the adults because they liked to play in my driveway. They would build ramps and jump bikes over them.”

Mary Alcock, a neighbor of the Skeltons, was among about 40 people searching heavily wooded Riverside Natural Area north of Morenci's Main Street.

The missing boys were last seen in the backyard of this house on Congress Street in Morenci, the residence of their father, John Skelton.

“Two of the boys are best friends with my boys,” she said. “The father never spoke to us at all the whole time they lived down the street from us for two years.”

Ms. Skelton spent most of Saturday in the Morenci police building working with authorities including FBI agents and Michigan State Police. She did not speak with reporters.

Kathye Herrera, a longtime friend of Ms. Skelton's parents, told reporters the boys' mother has been devastated with worry.

“There is a lot of pain and frustration not knowing what is going on,” Ms. Herrera said.

“She is praying that the children are safe and being taken care of. … The mom keeps saying, ‘I just want my babies back, I just want my babies back.'”

The Skeltons have been married for eight years, according to Mr. Skelton's Facebook page. Together they have the three boys; Ms. Skelton has two daughters from a previous relationship, and Mr. Skelton has another child with a different woman.

Haley Simpkins, a close friend of Ms. Skelton's 23-year-old daughter, said the apparent abduction has shaken the small peaceful community.

“It's a complete heartbreak. It's horrible that he would let a complete stranger that we know of, take his boys,” she said.

“This is a small community and none of us have ever heard of her, and I am close with the family.”

Miss Simpkins said she was with Ms. Skelton Friday night.

“It's just devastating to know those little boys are out there and no one knows where they are,” she said.

A state police helicopter circled the town with a searchlight last night, and dozens of people walked through farm fields and wooded areas with flashlights.

Police said any information regarding the missing children, the alleged abductor or the suspect's vehicle should be reported by calling 911, the Morenci Police Department at 517-458-2323 or Lenawee County Dispatch at 517-263-0524.

The Dumpster

Hello mama, I see your fuzzy face
I hear your heart beat
And feel your warm embrace
I feel you tremble
Don't be scared

(chorus)

What did I do mom
What did I say
To make you put me down and run away
Are you late for school, well that can wait
I'm your little boy so mom please stay

I'm cold and alone in this metal room
With plastic bags and a worn out broom
Nobody hears my call for you
Come back mommy 'cause I need you

(chorus)

It's my dying breath and I see a glow
It's an Angel from Heaven
And he's taking me home.

John Skelton

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The other cook & me...my hubby john

About this Cook
I am a 39 yr. old stay-at-home mother of 6: 3 girls; ages 18, 14, 12, and 3 boys; ages 4, , 0. Five are my own and 1 is my step daughter. The 3 boys are my husband's and mine together. We also have a cat named Shadow.
My favorite things to cook
Chicken, all ways. I love to experiment. I'm also learning to cook fish and am really enjoying that.
My favorite family cooking traditions
When I was growing up, every Christmas morning my mom would make a breakfast egg casserole. I am passing that tradition on to my own children. My husband also loves to cook and I really enjoy when he and I can be in the kitchen together just creating and having fun.
My cooking triumphs
I love to decorate cakes, but have no formal training...all self taught. I baked AND decorated my oldest daughter's cakes for her high school graduation...they were beautiful!! I was so proud of myself.
My cooking tragedies
Christmas dinner 2003. We planned to eat around 1:00 or so, well, the turkey was not done and we weren't able to eat until 4:00!!! Thank goodness it was just us and no outside guests that year.

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Police issued an "Amber Alert" for the boys on Friday, after their father, John Skelton, 39, said he turned the boys over to a woman named Joann Taylor, asking her to take them to the boys mother. Skelton then attempted suicide by hanging.
After he failed, he contacted an acquaintance who took him to an Ohio hospital.
Now, three days later, police say they cannot find Taylor or even confirm her existence, raising tension in the community as it frantically searches for the boys.
Roxann Skelton, John Skelton's mother, said from her Florida home that she's hopeful.
"My heart doesn't lie to me," she said. "My heart tells me they're OK."
She said she has not talked with her son since the episode began.
Groups of law enforcement and volunteers on Sunday also searched the woods around Morenci trying to find any sign of the lost boys.
When asked if Skelton was a suspect in the boys' disappearance, Morenci Police Chief Larry Weeks said, "we need to keep our eyes wide open."
Skelton, who lives in Morenci, about 75 miles southwest of Detroit and just north of the Ohio state line, is separated from their mother but had been keeping his sons.
According to The Blade of Toledo, John Skelton posted a message on his Facebook page seeking forgiveness. In the posting, he allegedly wrote, "I love my wife very much. May God and Tanya forgive me." It was posted on Wednesday, two days before the boys were reported missing.
He told investigators Friday he wanted the boys out of his house when he committed suicide and that he had asked the Taylor to take them to their mother.

From The Detroit News: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

What a bunch of BS. What did he do with those little boys? LE would know from computer records if this mystery woman exits. She don't. BJ the poem about the dumpster, did I miss something about a dumpster?

No, you didn't miss anything. The poem was written by John Skelton a couple years ago and was on his Myspace; that's all. He said, "i wrote this driving my truck...check it out".

There is nothing in the recent news about a dumpster.

MORENCI — Three boys ages 5, 7, and 9 who went missing on the same day their father tried to hang himself were feared to be in "extreme danger," and the father hadn't been ruled out as a suspect in their disappearance, Michigan police said. The father, 39-year-old John Skelton, was being treated at a hospital in Ohio for "mental health issues" after he attempted suicide Friday. By Corey Williams.

Police news conference set for 4:30 pm, vigil at 5:30 p.m. Will be updated.

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Law enforcement officials on Sunday issued a plea and set up a hotline seeking information about three Morenci boys who've been missing for three days

"We need calls. We need tips," Andy Arena, a special agent with the FBI, said at a morning news conference. "Anything that's out there — no matter how incredible you think it is — call."

The hotline is 517-458-7104. Investigators are hoping for information about the whereabouts of Andrew Ryan Skelton, 9, Alexander William Skelton, 7, and Tanner Lucas Skelton, 5, who were reportedly last seen Friday in their father's backyard at his home in Morenci, police Chief Larry Weeks has said.

They also had volunteer firefighters from 12 departments in Ohio and Michigan and hundreds of other volunteers out searching areas around Morenci looking for the brothers. Morenci is about 40 miles west of Toledo just north of the Ohio-Michigan state line.

The search crews on Sunday were focusing on Harrison Lake Park near Fayette in Ohio as well as wooded areas along Lime Creek Highway and an area golf course.

Authorities said they had no concrete information the boys would be at any of the locations but described them as places they had been seen at in the past.

Steve Meller, a Morenci firefighter who was coordinating volunteer efforts, said Mr. Skelton has been known to hunt in some of the areas where searchers were looking.

A car was towed from the Skelton home Saturday night, which Chief Weeks said was part of routine evidence preservation.

A community prayer vigil was scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Sunday in the Morenci United Methodist Church, 111 East Main St.

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I wonder if she has talked to her son since his suicide attempt?

"I know my son, he's not a monster," John Skelton's mother, Roxann Skelton of Jacksonville, Fla., told the Detroit Free Press. "He's a good son and he would not harm his boys. I know those children are, you know, still with us."
She didn't immediately return a phone message the AP left for her Sunday.

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More information is coming out about parents Tanya and John Skelton, who are in the process of a divorce. John remains in the mental health ward of a local hospital after attempting suicide.

His Facebook page Wednesday contained the message: "I love my wife very much. May God and Tanya forgive me."

Police say his mental state is making it tougher for them to make progress.

"It's a difficult investigation no matter how you look at it," Morenci police chief Larry Weeks said. "We have not ruled anything out and to do so would be neglectful to the investigation."

Police say Tanya Skelton remains cooperative and in constant contact with authorities, but she's listed on a Michigan sex offender website for a case more than a decade ago involving a sexual relationship with a teenage boy.

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With the search heading into a fourth day, more than 200 people from Ohio and Michigan packed Morenci United Methodist Church Sunday night to pray for the safe return of the children. The crowd at the church spilled out of the pews and required extra chairs to be brought in.
"It's just a terrible time," said Iola Burton, who attended the service with her husband, Wally. "It's just so sad that it takes an event like this to bring our community together."
In a solemn service, those in attendance filed to the front of the church to light a vigil candle. In the background an unaccompanied piano played seasonal songs including "Peace on Earth" and "O, Holy Night."
Relatives of the missing trio were on hand but did not address the crowd, which included several people wearing yellow safety vests after participating in afternoon searches.
Bob Dister, a lay leader at the church, thanked the congregation for its outpouring of support and said of the boys' family members: "They know your love."
Family spokeswoman Kathye Herrera said Tanya Skelton's family is trying to stay positive, but the search has taken its toll.
"She doesn't want to go to sleep in case they need her," Herrera said.
Neighbor Ken Fether said John Skelton talked with him in October about his separation and how depressed he was about the break-up.
"He didn't think the kids would be around as much," Fether said.
But Fether, who lives two houses from Skelton, said he saw the kids at Skelton's house quite a bit recently.
Fether said all three have distinct personalities: 7-year-old Alexander is a cut-up, choosing to don a dress and go as a girl for Halloween.
Nine-year-old Andrew is the serious one of the trio, Fether said.
And 5-year-old Tanner is unstoppable, Fether said. He was eager to poke at their neighbor's deer carcass brought home from a hunting trip.
"You couldn't pull anything over on him," Fether said of Tanner, then correcting himself to use the present tense "can't."
"They were just real good kids," Fether said. "God, I hope they are all right."
Tom Westhoven, who has known the family for more than 10 years, said Skelton recently worked as a truck driver. He said he would often see him and the three kids playing.
"This is just crazy," he said.
Volunteers gathered Sunday at the Morenci fire hall awaiting instruction while investigators conducted aerial searches.
Jeff Glore, 43, of Adrian said he volunteered because he was "torn up by the story."
"I just have a heart for children," said Glore, who has a 5-week-old baby.
"I don't think this town knows what to do."

From The Detroit News: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

artgal16 wrote:I dont understand that last line - the mother had contact with this joann but not necessariy by phone or in person? Computer? telepathically?

I am so sorry, I know this is a horrible situation but that cracked me up, Artgal. :crystal ball:

FBI: Planes, dogs, psych experts seek 3 Mich. boys

By COREY WILLIAMS, Associated Press Corey Williams, Associated Press – 1 hr 35 mins ago

MORENCI, Mich. – Authorities used planes and search dogs to scour areas along the Michigan-Ohio border Sunday, hoping to find three Michigan boys who were reported missing the same day their father tried to hang himself.

Police in Morenci, about 75 miles southwest of Detroit, said they fear the boys are in "extreme danger."

Their father, 39-year-old John Skelton, was being treated at a hospital in Ohio for "mental health issues" after he attempted suicide Friday, Morenci Police Chief Larry Weeks said. When asked if Skelton was a suspect in his sons' disappearance, Weeks said: "We haven't ruled anything out yet."

The three boys — 5-year-old Tanner, 7-year-old Alexander and 9-year-old Andrew Skelton — were last seen Thursday and reported missing the next day by their mother, Tanya Skelton, Weeks said. A family friend said the couple was estranged and the boys were with their father as part of court-ordered visitation.

FBI child abduction teams, along with behavioral science experts, joined numerous police and volunteers to search fields, farmland and wooded areas late into the night Sunday. They expected to resume their work Monday.

Authorities said John Skelton claimed to have given the boys to a female friend, but officials haven't been able to confirm whether the woman exists.

The weekend search for the boys extended to an Ohio state park just south of the Michigan state line, according to the sheriff's office in Fulton County, Ohio. The FBI got involved Friday, shortly after being contacted by Michigan authorities, said Andrew Arena, head of the agency's Detroit office.

Authorities said John Skelton told investigators Friday that he wanted the boys out of his house when he committed suicide, and asked a woman named Joann Taylor to take them to their mother. John Skelton claimed that he met Taylor several years ago and the two had been involved in an online relationship, and she likely lived in southern Michigan.

But officers haven't been able to find a woman by that name or the silver van that Skelton said she was driving.

John Skelton's mother, Roxann Skelton of Jacksonville, Fla., didn't return a phone message from The Associated Press late Sunday. But she told the Detroit Free Press that her son wouldn't hurt his children.

"I know my son, he's not a monster," she told the newspaper. "He's a good son and he would not harm his boys. I know those children are, you know, still with us."

Kathye Herrera, a friend of Tanya Skelton's, said the couple have been married for 10 years but are in the process of getting a divorce. Herrera said that earlier this year, John Skelton picked his two older sons up from school and took them to Florida, but later returned to Michigan. Custody was awarded to Tanya Skelton, though John Skelton "had been seeing the boys with no issues," Herrera said.

Herrera said Tanya Skelton attends a local college or community college and John Skelton was a long-haul truck driver who hasn't been working in while.

About 200 people gathered Sunday evening for a prayer vigil at a church in Morenci, a small, mostly blue collar and farming community just north of the Ohio state line. Lights are strung on poles along Main Street, and festive decorations adorn windows in some of the shops and eateries in town.

The Skelton boys also started early, making holiday greeting cards. One of the older brothers wrote "Jesus is awesome" on his and drew a Nativity scene, Herrera said.

"They love church. They love the interaction, and they know all about Jesus," Herrera said.

Many attending the vigil tried to hold back tears, though others allowed them to flow freely. As "Silent Night" and other Christmas hymns played, each filed slowly past the altar, lighting small white candles before returning to the pews to continue prayers for the boys' safe return.

"Give us courage to face our fears," church Lay Leader Bob Dister said as part of a short prayer before leading into "The Lord's Prayer."

He wept as the vigil ended.

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On "The Early Show" Monday, Pat Brown, a criminal profiler, said the father's story is the "biggest bunch of bull I ever heard."

"It's a bogus story," she said.

"Doesn't make a darn bit of sense. We're talking about a man who he just wants the children to go back to the mother, so he can commit suicide. Why doesn't he simply drive them over there and drop the children himself or have his mother do it? Why does he call some stranger, and oh, by the way, he can't even give the police the woman's address or phone number? They have no idea how he even contacted her. Yeah, he has no record on his cell phone. He has no record on his Internet. It's a bogus story."

Brown said the spelling of the mystery woman's name is "curious."

She said, "If I'm reading correctly, this is the spelling he gave to the police: he said Joann, without an e. His mother's name is Roxaan, which is fascinating, because a lot of times [if] you try to come up with a phony name you will pick something close to what you already know. So, it's hard to come up with something completely unknown to you say, let me think, I know a guy named Joe - or Joann like my mother's name. I think he made up the names.

"And that suicide attempt? Don't buy that, either. How do you fail to hang yourself? Almost everybody who tries can do it successfully. I think he's pretending to be in insane; that's just his defense starting to set up there."

So what does Brown think happened to the boys?

Brown said, "It's a horrifying thought but, you know, sometimes in these divorce situations if you have a person with a personality disorder, he thinks, you know, 'I'm not going to accept this divorce or let you have the kids.' She had full custody. 'She's not going to get them back. If I can't have them, she can't have them.'

"So I think the police think this is not going to turn out well, but they're doing everything they can just in case because they are hoping, they're hoping they are wrong, that these children are out there someplace, and so they are going to look for them."

"Early Show" co-anchor Maggie Rodriguez said, "But, if the father did have something to do with their disappearance, the case against him is not good because when you look at that Facebook message that he sent the day before, doesn't that speak to premeditation?"

Brown answered, "It does speak to premeditation, but they need to find those boys or some evidence that he did something.

"We've seen this before: Caylee Anthony, the nanny with Caylee Anthony. She claimed this woman ran off with their kids. Luckily they've been able to find little Casey and Caylee is in prison going to trial. We have people who say somebody else took their kid, and if you can't prove somebody else didn't take their kid or do something to them - you have to have that physical proof. That's what he may hope they won't find and police hope will."

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The public search for three missing brothers in Morenci is on hold, according to citizen volunteers.

Bill Foster, who has been helping to lead the search efforts by community members, said law enforcement officials informed citizens at about 8:15 a.m.
"We're just on hold," he said. "That's all they're telling us."
Local law enforcement officials are still searching and headed out around 10:30 a.m.
A news conference is scheduled for 11 a.m. at the Morenci Fire Department.

Haley Simpkins, 23, who said she is a friend of Tanya Skelton's older daughters from a previous marriage, said she was told law enforcement officials spent the night speaking to John Skelton, who is being treated at a mental health facility.
More than 200 citizens, including out of towners from Ohio and Indiana, signed up to join search parties today.
Volunteers and fire department workers from across the region were still waiting for direction just after 10 a.m.
According to a white board at the Morenci Fire Department, the search areas of focus include a gravel pit.

Read more: Volunteer search halted for 3 missing Morenci brothers | freep.com | Detroit Free Press [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

LE has eliminated the relationship between Joann Taylor and John Skelton. Reason to believe the van owned by the Skelton's was far away from the home on the day the boys went missing. Will continue to follow up on leads and want people in the far away towns (didn't get the names) that may have seen the van between 4 and 7 am on that day to call the tipline.
The search will continue.

In a press conference Monday morning, Morenci Police Chief Larry Weeks said authorities remain hopeful that the boys are still alive. The focus of their search has now shifted to areas of Williams County, just south of the Ohio-Michigan border in Ohio. A command center has been set up in Pioneer, with a search extending to Holiday City and Kunkle.

A fixed wing aircraft has been brought in to help with the search.

Authorities are also asking the public if they saw a blue 2000 Dodge Caravan anywhere near the Ohio-Michigan border or Ohio Turnpike late Thursday or Friday. The minivan's license plate is 9JO H93.

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The grandmother of three missing Michigan boys said her son wouldn't hurt his kids.

"I know my son. He's not a monster," Roxann Skelton of Jacksonville told the Detroit Free Press. "He's a good son and he would not harm his boys. I know those children are, you know, still with us."

Reached on the phone, she said, "I'm sorry, I can't talk to anyone. Have a good day," then hung up.

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Skelton said he met Taylor and her husband a few years ago when he helped them after their car broke down, and then began emailing her, according to police.

Police said they have been trying to find Taylor and her husband, Mark Taylor, as well as the white or silver van Skelton told them she was driving when she took the children, but without any luck.

“The bulk of our action has been putting together a timeline and trying to locate this Joann Taylor,” Weeks told the AP.

Police said it is possible that Taylor lives in either Jackson or Hillsdale, Michigan, but they are not sure the woman even exists.

If Skelton had a ‘several years’ email relationship with the woman he should be able to recall the woman’s email address. By Sunday night there’s little doubt the authorities have already searched computers John Skelton used to find emails sent to and received from the woman. The authorities’ statement they don’t know if the woman ‘exists’ seems to indicate Skelton didn’t give the authorities an email address. The email address, a way for authorities to corroborate Skelton’s claim he had ongoing email relationship with the woman. Skelton’s inability to tell the authorities where the woman lived or any other details about her life which would help in the search, puzzling, as two individuals who have a long term online relationship usually divulge details about where they live and where they may be employed or their type of work, details people exchange in emails.

When about to turn three Caylee Anthony was reported missing in Orlando, Florida, July 15, 2008, Caylee’s 22-yr-old mother Casey Anthony told her family and the authorities Caylee had been abducted by her nanny, a woman named Zenaida Fernandez-Gonzalez. Casey went with authorities to an apartment building which she claimed was the location she’d handed her daughter to the nanny before Casey went to work on June 9th. Casey claimed her daughter had ‘been missing’ since June 9th with Casey ‘searching’ for Caylee. On July 15th Casey was confronted by her mother, Cindy Anthony, who demanded to know where Caylee was. Cindy Anthony demanded to where Caylee was after Cindy and her husband George Anthony were notified Casey’s car had been at an impound lot since June 27th. After George Anthony retrieved the car on July 15th, a frantic Cindy called 911 three times. During Cindy’s third call, Cindy stated:

“There is something wrong. I found my daughter’s car today [and] it smells like there’s been a dead body in the damn car.”

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Authorities have turned their attention to northern Ohio as they continue the frantic search for three young boys whose father attempted suicide after they were last seen on Thursday.
Morenci Police Chief Larry Weeks said today a task force of local, state and federal law enforcement officials has developed evidence that John Skelton, 39, of Morenci, may have driven the boys — 9-year-old Andrew, 7-year-old Alexander and 5-year-old Tanner Skelton — to the area of Holiday City/West Unity, Ohio, between 2:30 p.m. Thursday and 1:30 p.m. Friday, when they were reported missing.
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Search parties are now looking along a swath of land that straddles the Ohio Turnpike in Williams County. Weeks said evidence shows John Skelton's blue 2000 Dodge Caravan may have been in that area between 4 a.m. and 7 a.m. Friday.
"We've collected information from a number of sources," he said.
Police are asking for any information from anyone who may have seen the blue Caravan with Michigan license number 9JQ H93. Tips can be phoned in to (517) 458-7104.

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Three bus loads of volunteers and firefighters will be dropped Monday afternoon at various points in Ohio to start a walking search for three brothers missing from Morenci, Mich.

The school buses — each with 50 civilians and 20 firefighters — were being loaded at a community center in Pioneer about 2 p.m. Monday, said Cpl. Jeff Paterson, an officer with the Lenawee County Sheriff’s Office.

Once they are taken to drop off points, they will walk 20 to 30 feet off main roads until they meet back in West Unity, he said. They are searching for anything that has to do with the missing boys: Andrew Ryan Skelton, 9, Alexander William Skelton, 7, and Tanner Lucas Skelton, 5.

News of the ground effort came after a search at a 64-acre campground in Pioneer was called off Monday afternoon after crews hunted through the area for about 90 minutes.

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State records show the mother of three missing boys is on Michigan's sex-offender registry for a misdemeanor committed in 1998.

Tanya Skelton pleaded guilty to fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct. Records show it was a plea bargain after she was accused of having sex with a 14-year-old boy who had worked for her at rental properties. She was known then as Tanya Derby.

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Father of three boys lied.
MORENCI, Mich. — A father of three missing boys lied about a relationship with a woman he claims to have entrusted with their care, said the Michigan police chief leading the investigation into their disappearance.

Morenci Police Chief Larry Weeks said Monday that police doubt the story of John Skelton, 39, who told them he handed over his children to a woman named Joann Taylor before attempting suicide Friday. The boys _Tanner, 5, Alexander, 7, and Andrew, 9 — were last seen Thursday in the backyard of their father's southern Michigan home and are believed to be in danger.

Authorities haven't named the father as a suspect, but Weeks said they also haven't ruled him out. The police chief said Monday authorities are looking for anyone who saw the three boys in their father's blue Dodge Caravan on Thursday or Friday along the Michigan-Ohio border. The FBI said the vehicle was on the Ohio Turnpike during that time.

"We believe the boys were in the vehicle the morning or evening before" they were reported missing, Weeks said. He said that despite the time since they were last seen, searchers "remain hopeful" they're still alive.

Police said they have extensively searched name records and other sources for Joann Taylor but have yet to find a woman by that name in a relationship with Skelton.

Authorities and volunteers searched Monday afternoon along busy U.S. 20 in northern Ohio highway for any evidence of the boys.

Cambridge Township fire chief Scott Damon, a township fire chief, said he had a crew searching east of Pioneer, Ohio, about 12 miles from the boys' home in Morenci.

"It's pretty flat land. We're just walking along," Damon said. "We're looking for any type of evidence. My group has not found anything."

Volunteers have been searching around Morenci, about 75 miles southwest of Detroit, for days. Monday morning, they checked fields, farms and wooded areas along the state boundary based on "information we've collected from a number of sources," Weeks said.

Police have searched Skelton's Morenci home and removed items but declined to identify them.

Weeks said Skelton was being treated at a hospital in Ohio for "mental health issues" after he told police that he tried to hang himself on Friday.

The boys were reported missing Friday by their mother, Tanya Skelton, Weeks said. A family friend said the boys were with their father as part of court-ordered visitation and their parents were going through a divorce.

About 200 people gathered Sunday evening for a prayer vigil at Tanya Skelton's church in Morenci, a small, mostly blue-collar and farming community. Lights were strung on poles along the town's main street, and festive decorations adorned windows in some of the shops and eateries in town.

Friends said the Skelton boys had started celebrating the holidays early by making greeting cards. One of the older brothers wrote "Jesus is awesome" on his and drew a Nativity scene, family spokeswoman Kathye Herrera said.

"They love church. They love the interaction, and they know all about Jesus," Herrera said, adding that John Skelton recently began attending services at the church.

Herrera said the boys' parents have been together for about 10 years. Earlier this year, John Skelton picked his two older sons up from school and took them to Florida, but later returned to Michigan, she said. Custody was awarded to Tanya Skelton, though John Skelton "had been seeing the boys with no issues," Herrera said.

Tanya Skelton attends a local college or community college, and John Skelton is a long-haul truck driver who hasn't been working in while, Herrera said. John Skelton's mother, Roxann Skelton of Jacksonville, Fla., told the Detroit Free Press that her son wouldn't hurt his children. She didn't return a phone message from The Associated Press. "I know my son, he's not a monster," she told the newspaper. "He's a good son and he would not harm his boys. I know those children are, you know, still with us."

Authorities said John Skelton told investigators Friday that he wanted the boys out of his house when he committed suicide, and he asked Taylor to take them to their mother. John Skelton claimed he met Taylor several years ago and the two had been involved in an online relationship, and she likely lived in southern Michigan.

But officers haven't been able to find a woman by that name or the silver van that John Skelton said she was driving.

Many of those who attended Sunday night's vigil tried to hold back tears, though others allowed them to flow freely. As "Silent Night" and other Christmas hymns played, people filed slowly past the altar, lighting small white candles before returning to the pews to continue prayers for the boys' safe return.

"Give us courage to face our fears," church Lay Leader Bob Dister said as part of a short prayer before leading into "The Lord's Prayer."

He wept as the vigil ended.
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that article you posted artgal brought tears to my eyes. Thank God for the searchers out there looking for these little boys. Their Mother was convicted of a sex crime on a 14 yr old? Why was she allowed to maintain custody when she was a sex offender? I know that Grandma up above wants to believe her Son did not do anything to them. Denial is powerful. I don't blame her for being in Denial right now. I can picture me doing the same thing for a short while until all the facts are known. But she has to be wondering if her Son snapped and killed those boys. These kinds of crimes seem to be on the increase. The poor economy could be part of the reason.

Parents of three missing Morenci boys in custody fight

We are learning more about the Skelton family.

The mother of the three boys recently filed for divorce from John Skelton and was fighting for permanent custody.

John Skelton said the mother of the children was an unfit parent. He cited the fact Tanya Skelton is a registered sex offender and is repeatedly in violation of sex offender laws as reasons why she shouldn't have custody of the three boys.

On September 13 of this year, Tanya Skelton filed for divorce, according to court documents.

That same day the father of Andrew, Alexander and Tanner took the children out of school. It's alleged he took the children to stay with an acquaintance in Jacksonville, Florida.

Tanya Skelton stated because the boys' father is a long-haul truck driver and is on the road for weeks at a time, she should be granted sole custody.

But on September 27, John Skelton filed for custody. citing the fact Tanya Skelton is a registered sex offender.

In 1999, she was convicted of fourth degree criminal sexual conduct for having sex with a 14-year-old boy. The teen would do handyman work on rental properties Tanya and her ex-husband owned.

Shortly after the allegations surfaced, Tanya's husband filed for divorce. He was granted custody of the couple's two daughters.

John Skelton has also been married before. He has one daughter from that marriage. In January of this year, he was sentenced to 30 days in jail for failure to pay child support.

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The picture of the Grandma (Roxann Skelton) up thread is not the same woman as pictured here or in the video on this link. Maybe the picture up thread is a Great Grandma? I don't know...



Roxann Skelton's "grandma's heart" is telling her that her three grandsons missing in Michigan are indeed still alive, scared and wondering what's happening.

Despite comments from Michigan police that Skelton's son, a Fletcher High graduate, is lying about the case, his mother said a woman very well might have the boys.

That woman, Roxann Skelton said, is an acquaintance her son met a few years back. According to police reports, John Skelton, said he wanted his boys to be with her and not at home when he attempted suicide. Police have centered their search for the boys mainly at the Ohio-Michigan border.

People are too quick to jump to conclusions, she said; her son adored his boys and would never hurt them.

Skelton said she last talked to her son on Thanksgiving. Then the next day, Friday, she received a phone call telling her to "sit down" because news was coming that her grandsons were missing.The boys, ages 9, 7, and 5, are close to their dad, she said.

Skelton and her husband will leave soon for a 20-hour trip to Morenci, Mich. They had already planned to go visit their grandsons for Christmas. In fact, Skelton said in tears, she has bought all the boys Christmas presents. She planned to surprise one with his wish, an MP3 player.

Alex, the middle child, loves the outdoors, she said.

Andrew, she said, is the oldest and "he's the bookworm." She said she used to play some sort of "chicken game" on the computer with her grandson. The youngest, Tanner, is full of energy.

The wall at her home in Jacksonville Beach is lined with family photos, including her son and the boy's mother, Tanya.

Skelton said her son was going through a divorce.

She wants "the acquaintance" to take the boys to a safe place and just drop them off, perhaps at a fire station or a McDonald's. Give the boys a note that says, "I'm a missing child. Dial 911," she said.

Skelton holds out hope her grandsons are just fine. She said she won't even let herself think anything else.

If anyone has a prayer group, please pray for her grandsons, she said.

Skelton won't believe her grandsons are not okay, unless authorities can prove to her otherwise, she said.

The grandmother's phone rings every few minutes. Reporters from CNN to Detroit media to local media are asking for interviews. She politely tells them to have a "good day" but she can't discuss her son.

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Missing Boys' Father May Have 'Dumped Them on the Road'

The search for three Michigan brothers who disappeared when their father tried to commit suicide shifted focus Monday to an 18-mile stretch of Ohio road.

Fire Chief Scott Damon of Cambridge Township, Mich., told searchers that John Skelton, the boys' father, "may have just dumped them on the road," The Detroit News reports.

Morenci, Mich., Police Chief Larry Weeks also said Monday police have poked holes in the story put forward by Skelton, who is being treated in an Ohio hospital for "mental health issues" after a suicide attempt.

He told investigators he dropped off the boys, 9-year-old Andrew, 7-year-old Alexander and 5-year-old Tanner, on Friday morning with a woman by the name of Joann Taylor, whom he allegedly met online.

Police have now ruled out a connection between Skelton and a woman of that name.

Skelton had claimed that Taylor agreed to take the boys home to their mother, Tanya Skelton, so that they would not witness his attempt to hang himself. The boys were reported missing Friday by Tanya Skelton (the couple are separated).

Authorities now believe that Skelton, 39, may have driven his sons to an area in Ohio between 2:30 p.m. Thursday and 1:30 p.m. Friday, when they were reported missing, Weeks said.

Evidence shows Skelton's blue 2000 Dodge Caravan may have been in that area between 4 a.m. and 7 a.m. Friday, he said, adding, "We've collected information from a number of sources."

John Skelton has not been named as a suspect, but Weeks said they also haven't ruled him out.

The boys were with their father as part of court-ordered visitation, according to reports, and were last seen Thursday in the backyard of their father's southern Michigan home. Police say they "remain hopeful" the children are still alive.

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This is horrible. I just cannot imagine dumping your three kids off on some road somewhere. If that's what happened, how could these babies have survived in the cold weather? Perhaps a miracle, that's what I'll pray for.

Are they implying that he dumped them on the road
alive?

That's the way I took it.

If he dropped them off on the highway does anyone know about the terrain? Are there woods? I really cannot write the words of what I think has happened so I will pray for the best.

by artgal16 Today at 9:45 pm Are they implying that he dumped them on the road alive?

Wondering the same thing.....dumped them on the side of the road in a hurry after he killed them or kicked them out of the car, alive, and sped off leaving the boys out there alone to fend for themselves. LE couldn't have been more vague.