NAMPA -- Nampa police say two Nampa children who were reportedly kidnapped by their father have been found safe in Washington state, about an hour north of Portland, Oregon. Their dad, Joshua Reavis, is in custody. On Twitter, Nampa police thanked Washington State Police for their help.
Earlier today, an AMBER Alert was issued for the children, 3-year-old Slevin Reavis and 2-year-old Estaleyn Reavis.
We spoke to Brittni Reavis, the mother of the two kids, shortly after she learned their were safe. She expressed relief and said she can't wait to hug them.
"I've been worried that they were scared. I knew that he didn't have money so I was hoping that they were fed but I mean, everything, I've had every terrible thought, every possibility go through my mind," Brittni Reavis said
She was working with a travel coordinator to try and figure out how to get up to Washington, where her children were with Child Protective Services.
"I just want to hug them," she said. "That's all I want is just to hold them."
Although Joshua Reavis, 31, is a custodial parent, police expressed concern for the children's safety because of Reavis' mental state and statements he made to the children's mother before taking them.
The children have been missing since Monday. They were last seen at Reavis' home on East Dewey Street in Nampa.
The children were believed to be in "imminent danger," police spokesman Sgt. Joe Ramirez said. Idaho State Police issued an AMBER Alert, which was quickly expanded to western Montana, Oregon and Washington.
Reavis was believed to be driving a 2000 gold Honda Odyssey minivan with license plates 2C LL484. The van has a butterfly sticker on the front and a tribal owl sticker on the back.
Police had said Reavis may be headed to the Grimes Creek area to camp, but a search of the area came up empty Wednesday afternoon. Police say all of the children's belongings and camping gear was taken from the house when the children were abducted.
Ramirez said the children's parents are married and live together, and that Reavis left with the kids while their mother was at work. Brittni Reavis had told Joshua the morning of the abduction that she wanted a divorce, and that he needed to be out of the house by that evening, police say.
"She goes to work one day, comes back home and all the children's belongings are gone," he said. "She's receiving texts from him saying 'I'm out of here, I'm gone.' Because some of the issues that he's experiencing, we believe that the children are in danger."
The children's mother called police Monday to report that Reavis had taken the children. Police say such cases are typically forwarded to the prosecutor's office because children are usually assumed to be safe in their parents' care. In this case, however, police say Reavis is suffering from psychological issues that may put Slevin and Estaleyn in danger.
"The mother of the children says that the father - the biological father - has some mental issues," Ramirez said. "We've done a little bit of research and found out that is the case, He did have some things going on that concerned the investigating detective."
The Washington State Patrol credits an alert driver in Cowlitz Co traveling on Interstate 5 for spotting the suspect vehicle.
