Children in state custody
Officials say the children are safe and are now currently in a good situation and are being protected.
“This is an intra-family situation. This is not human trafficking. There is nothing to put our other children at risk,” William Archer, Vinton County Prosecutor said.
Archer says the state is asking for temporary custody of all the kids.
Wilson’s office has offered help “in any way we can” in the investigation, including prosecutors from special prosecutor’s division.
“Our role is one of support and leveraging our resources,” Wilson said.
Family has ties to multiple counties, states
The family has ties to multiple counties including Gallia, Pike and Jackson counties, as well as to Wisconsin.
He says it appears they were in the Vinton County for four years. The property they were in was owned by a trust of a deceased woman.
Wilson says the family was hiding the children for years because “they knew these kids were neglected.”
Wilson says they are still at the very beginning of the investigation, making sure the children are OK.
Cain did not comment on if there was any sexual abuse, citing an ongoing investigation.
Anyone with information about the family, about the kids is encouraged to call Ohio Attorney General’s Office tip line at 855-BCI-OHIO.
WLWT’s investigative reporter Todd Dykes has been covering this story all day and will have more updates as they come in.
