Missing children from Fredericksburg recovered safely after their grandmother turns herself in

Four young siblings from Virginia who were declared missing are now in the care of West Virginia child services after their maternal grandmother turned herself in.

The grandmother, Shirley Williamson, 52, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, 90 miles west of Baltimore, was arrested Friday. The missing children were subsequently given over to the West Virginia Department of Human Services, the Fredericksburg Police Department said on Facebook.

Ms. Williamson initially had custody of 7-month-old Ocean Randall, 2-year-old Meccah Randall, 5-year-old Prince Randall and 7-year-old Leah Winginton starting on Monday, police said. 

Police officers went to the children’s home in Fredericksburg, Virginia, 50 miles southwest of Washington, D.C., for a welfare check, and though they were well, the cops noted that their mother and Ms. Williamson’s daughter, Kierstan Randall, had an open arrest warrant.

The police did not say in their release what crime Ms. Randall is accused of committing that led to the Stafford County warrant. Her children were given over to an adult at the scene and from there to Ms. Williamson.

After that, however, an unspecified third party gave the police information that led them to try and locate the children and Ms. Williamson.

Virginia Child Protective Services got a removal order against Ms. Williamson on Thursday, but she refused to cooperate with authorities, police said. The children were then declared missing.

Ms. Williamson is facing four counts each of violating a court custody order by holding the children outside Virginia and of causing acts that rendered children delinquent. She is being held without bond, police said.