Oct 23, 2019 2 min read

TRIADELPHIA, W.Va. – Three children reported missing from Virginia were located sleeping in a car at the West Virginia welcome center on Interstate 70 near the Pennsylvania state line Tuesday morning.

Around 8 a.m. Tuesday, Ohio County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a call of a suspicious vehicle at the I-70 westbound welcome center, where five youths were sleeping in the car.

Deputies and West Virginia State Police responded to the call. Three of the five juvenile occupants of the car had been reported missing. The other two occupants were found to have guns – one real and two fake. All five occupants of the car, as well as the car, were from the Richmond and Norfolk areas of Virginia. Officials said the car was reported stolen, but the gun was not.

Ohio County Sheriff Tom Howard said all of the juveniles were detained locally. The three reported missing are being held until authorities or their parents come to retrieve them, while the two who were armed are being held while possible charges are being determined.

“They weren’t missing long, but they were registered with (the National Crime Information Center),” Howard said. “The other two, one had a pistol, the other had a fake pistol. They weren’t very cooperative. They’re all being detained, two pending charges, the other three just detained for their own safety.

“The one who had the fake gun on him was on house arrest back in Virginia,” he added. “Somehow, they all ended up in Ohio County. They could have been heading to Columbus, we don’t know. It’s all still an open investigation.”

Howard thanked the West Virginia State Police for their assistance.

“There was heavy police presence, but when it comes out that there were kids and a gun in the car, we’re there,” Howard said. “State police always works well together with us.”