LONDON, KY. (WDRB) -- Two New Albany children missing since Sunday are found safe, and have been reunited with their mother. State Police found them along the interstate in London, Kentucky with their father.
Michael Mann and Kristin Mann are in the process of divorcing. Michael, whom we're told suffers from mental illness, was supposed to be taking the kids, 5-year-old Macy and 3-year-old Madden, to see their grandmother in Versailles.
They never arrived.
Kristin Mann arrived with other family members at the state police post in London at around 11:30 Tuesday morning, just hours after getting word that her children were OK.
"We just couldn't drive fast enough, let's put it that way. You seen her when she came in. She just wanted to get to her children. She was scared she wouldn't get to her kids again," said D. J. Borden, the children's grandfather.
State Police found Michael Mann with the children early Tuesday morning walking along I-75 at mile marker 50 near London. KSP had gotten several 911 calls from passing motorists.
"KSP had a trooper in the area that was close when the calls came out. He located the male subject and the two children, pulled off the side of the road, discovered that it was the missing children and father. He placed them in cruiser and brought them here to post," said Trooper Lloyd Cochran.
The family's van had been found abandoned on Monday. According to the family, the van had not broken down and had a half-tank of gas.
Police won't say where Mann and the children have spent the past two days, but D. J. Borden does not believe his son-in-law intended to return the children.
"I do believe that he was going to go and start a new life with the children. Being of sound mind, I can't answer that. I'm not a physician. But I do believe that he had a plan. More than likely, he left the van thinking that Kristin would be able to use that."
The reunited family was hustled out a side door, out of sight of TV cameras. But a picture on Facebook shows Kristin Mann with her children, saying they stopped for snacks at a gas station and got Happy Meals on the way home.
Meanwhile, Michael Mann remained in custody. "I just want Michael to get better. I don't want Michael to face charges," said Borden.
D. J. Borden tells us the children are being checked out at Kosair Children's Hospital. He says they had eaten mushrooms and drank from a creek.
No word yet on possible charges against Michael Mann.
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Michael Mann
Madden Mann
Macy Mann
