The kidnapping complaint was filed after Mark McCallum failed to show up for a custody exchange Thursday.
MASON CO. -- The Mason County Sheriff's Office tells 7&4 news that 4-year old Douglas and 2-year old Shelby McCallum have been found safe and unharmed at around 4:30pm Sunday afternoon, in Key West Florida.
The children were with their father, 52 year-old Mark McCallum.
McCallum has been arrested and the mother of the two children is on her way to Florida to pick up the children.
The Mason County Sheriff's Office was called when McCallum did not show up for a custody exchange on February 9th.
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Update 7:20p.m. - The Mason County Sheriff's Office tells 7&4 News that it can't issue an Amber Alert because police have no reason to believe the kids are in danger at this time. The sheriff tells us he questions the suspect's stability, but the investigation shows the father has never threatened his children. There are strict guidelines authorities have to follow when considering an Amber Alert, especially when the kidnapping involves a biologicial parent.
What do you think about the Amber Alert guidelines? Leave your comment below.
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Update 6:28p.m. - The Mason County Sheriff's office is still looking for two small children who are missing. An Amber Alert has not been issued, and authorities are unable to explain why. It's been more than 24 hours since their father, Mark McCallum was supposed to take the kids to their mother's house as part of a custody arrangement. Stay with 7&4 News for the latest on this investigation.
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The Mason County Sheriff's Office is investigating the parental kidnapping of two children.
4-year-old Douglas McCallum and his sister 2-year-old Shelby McCallum were last known to be with their father Mark Allan McCallum,52. He has family ties in Grand Rapids and in Arizona.
The kidnapping complaint was filed after Mark McCallum failed to show up for a custody exchange Thursday.
Mason County Undersheriff Thomas Trenner says, "There was a custody hearing that was going to go on today and he might have lost custody of the kids at that time do to a court order. That is what leads us to believe he took off with them."
The Sheriff's Office says there are two possible vehicles involved:
1995 Dodge Pickup, dark green, with a Michigan plate of DALE12
2005 Chevrolet Malibu, dark blue, with a Michigan plate of 1CDX85
If you have any information you are asked to contact the Mason/Oceana Central Dispatch at 231-869-5858 or the Mason County Sheriff's Office at 231-843-3475.
