Lacking children forcibly took from Greece foster dwelling discovered secure in Alabama, 1 particular person in custody | WETM

GREECE, NY (WROC) – An Amber Alert has been canceled and the two young children who were forcibly removed from a nursing home in Greece Monday night were found safe in Alabama.

Authorities said 3-year-old Shekeria Cash and 5-year-old Dimitri Cash were found safe outside the state on Wednesday night. Greek police chief Andrew Forsythe said the children are currently in police custody and are no longer in danger.

The children were found in Montgomery, Alabama, followed by a vehicle rented in the Rochester area. Chief Forsythe said a person is currently detained in Alabama but cannot identify the person due to the ongoing investigation.

“While this is the best result we could wish for, this investigation is far from complete,” said Chief Forsythe. “Everyone responsible for this kidnapping is wanted and arrested. They will be held responsible for what they did. “

The chief said traces of blood found in the house that was entered on English Road helped lead police to the suspects. Chief Forsythe credited the collaboration between local, state and federal law enforcement agencies.

“For 48 hours, these men and women worked around the clock developing clues, running down witnesses, conducting interviews, and not once in those 48 hours there was a criticism or complaint,” said Chief Forsythe. “Getting this done in 48 hours is really amazing policing. This is truly a moment that we will cherish forever. “

An official at the US Marshal’s Office in west New York said the children are now safe, will return home and are currently “happily eating chicken nuggets and watching a cartoon by Tom and Jerry.”

“She [the children] were hidden under a blanket under the hallway of a vehicle, ”said Chief Forsythe. “You can imagine they’re upset, but as you’ve heard, they watch cartoons and eat chicken nuggets. Maybe they’re more resilient than we credit them with.”

“The way everyone came together, it was all hands on deck, all the resources that were needed were provided and as a result we have a successful outcome,” said Greek city overseer Bill Reilich. “I am very proud of the Greek Police Department and our boss. I don’t think he slept in a couple of weeks. It is a very proud moment for me as the overseer of this city, it is a very proud moment for me as a resident of this state. “

Chief Forsythe said the Bivona Advocacy Child Center will help look after the children once they return to New York State.

Police said Tuesday morning the children were kidnapped from a nursing home on English Road by suspects who wore ski masks and used duct tape during their break-in.

“The homeowner reported that she was downstairs while her seven foster children were upstairs when she heard a cracking noise. When she saw the suspects she screamed and when she screamed two of her children came downstairs, “Chief Forsythe said Tuesday. “The two suspects then grabbed all three and forcibly taped all three together. Once they do that, they also put duct tape over the homeowner’s mouth to keep her from screaming. The two suspects then went upstairs and forcibly removed the two children.

“Last night, around 8:50 pm, we answered 805 English Road,” said Greek Police Chief Andrew Forsythe. “The homeowner reported that she was downstairs while her seven foster children were upstairs when she heard a cracking noise. When she saw the suspects she screamed and when she screamed two of her children came downstairs. “

“The two suspects then grabbed all three and forcibly taped them all together,” said Chief Forsythe. “Once they did that, they also put tape over the homeowner’s mouth to keep her from screaming. The two suspects then went upstairs and forcibly removed the two children Dimitri and Shekeria. “

Police said the children were captured in circumstances that lead investigators to believe they are in imminent danger of being seriously injured or dying.

The suspects were described as black men, each a little over two meters tall. One is about 175 pounds, the other about 200 pounds. Investigators say both men wore flannel shirts, Dickies work pants, black ski masks and black knitted hats.

A van belonging to residents of English Road was taken and later retrieved from a nearby apartment complex on Whitehall Drive. It was vacant and deserted.

“Based on the investigation, we believe that this was a planned and targeted kidnapping,” Chief Forsythe said on Tuesday.

The missing children’s father, Dimitri Cash, was arrested last January. He was accused of forcibly removing his children from school without the children’s consent or custody. He was also accused of hitting the headmaster with his vehicle while leaving school when he then arranged a local search for him and the children.

“Our first priority is certainly to find these two children,” Chief Forsythe said on Tuesday. “Father Dimitri is definitely someone we need to talk to. We’re trying to find him. “

The father is still facing four misdemeanor charges arising from his 2020 arrest, but the police chief said it still needs to be played in court, which has been delayed by the pandemic. Prosecutors said Dimitri’s next trial date has not yet been set. The case is still being dealt with in the Greek city court and the protection order has been extended to April.

The police chief also said he could not confirm whether Dimitri was one of the two men involved in the home invasion, but police want to find him and talk to him about what happened.

“We want to talk to Dimitri and see what he knows about it,” said Chief Forsythe on Tuesday. “Obviously they are his children. I don’t know exactly why they were particularly affected – we don’t know what he knows and it is very important that we talk to him. “

The boss said Dimitri is from Rochester but law enforcement is not currently limiting their searches to immediate local areas.

Patrick Cash is Dimitri’s brother and he heard about the kidnapping around midnight Tuesday morning. He said he spoke to a police officer at his door.

Patrick said he didn’t talk to his brother often and heard from his parents what was wrong with him. However, Patrick said he didn’t think Dimitri was responsible for this. Patrick said the children lived with his parents once and now live in the nursing home.

“They love adorable children, I’ve spent a lot of time with them, unfortunately that time was taken when the state took them out of my parents’ house,” said Patrick.

He also said he didn’t know the children down the street from him were living in the nursing home until it happened Tuesday. He said he wanted the children to live with him.

“I give my children a good life, I know I could give my niece and nephew a great life,” said Patrick on Tuesday.

The boss said agencies are backing the other foster children from home who witnessed what happened.

“There are seven children, all under the age of 11, and I can only imagine,” said Chief Forsythe. “I have three children of my own. I would imagine that they are traumatized and that we will do everything we can to support them with advice. “

Police said one of the victims suffered a cut on the lip and one of the suspects was injured while forcibly entering the site.