INDIANAPOLIS — Two Indianapolis parents will face sentencing after being found guilty of kidnapping their children, of whom they did not have custody.
Willie and Jessika Terrell were convicted of three counts of interference with custody, three counts of kidnapping and three counts of criminal confinement.
The incident began July 4, 2024 at a restaurant on the northwest side of Indianapolis.
The Terrells had an approved visit with their three children and the children's grandfather, who had custody of the children.
When the grandfather went to the bathroom, the Terrells took the children and fled the area. Indiana State Police issued a Silver Alert.
According to court documents, police checked the parents' phones and got a ping from one of them in Columbus, Texas.
Court documents claim Willie called his therapist and said the children were OK. He mentioned he was 288 miles from Mexico, and he wanted the FBI to investigate why his children kept being taken from him.
(NOTE: The above video is from a previous report from when the Terrells were arrested in Texas.)
Police pinged the phone again on July 9, and it came back to Pearsall, Texas — which is about 55 miles southwest of San Antonio and 100 miles from Mexico.
When police found the Terrells, they had barricaded themselves in a motel.
After a standoff, the Terrells were arrested and the children, ages 4, 3 and 1 at the time, were found unhurt.
“Three children were kidnapped and taken from their grandfather,” Mears said. “The children were traumatized and unnecessarily put at risk by the defendants ill-conceived plan to move to Mexico. Today, we are grateful for the jury’s verdict and glad the children are safe.”
The children had been removed from the Terrells care in 2023 due to medical neglect, according to the Marion County Prosecutor's Office.
The Terrells are set for sentencing on Dec. 6 in the kidnapping case.
Amber Alert vs. Silver Alert: What's the difference?
There are specific standards a person's disappearance must meet in order for police to declare an Amber Alert or a Silver Alert.
Amber Alerts are for children under the age of 18 who are believed to have been abducted and in danger. Police also need to have information about a suspect and their car to issue an Amber Alert.
Silver Alerts are for missing and endangered adults or children. They are much more common for missing people. It was not until last year when the standards for Silver Alerts were expanded to include children.
In both situations, these alerts must be issued by police.
