Children, parents found after abduction from Madera foster home

MADERA, Calif. (KFSN) -- Authorities say two children abducted by their parents out of a foster home in Madera were found in Colorado on Monday. The parents were also located.

The 6-year-old boy and his 13-year-old sister were taken by their parents. Mandee and Donald Murphy lost custody of their kids in September for child endangerment and drug charges. All four of them went missing Saturday night.

Madera police say the family was on their way to the Midwest where they have family. They found the Murphys in Eastern Colorado off of Interstate 76 with the help of state troopers. The family made phone calls and police were able to pinpoint them via their GPS. The family was reportedly sleeping in the car when they were found by Colorado state troopers.

"The car was full of their belongings, apparently it was pretty messy, and it appears that they were living out of the car for the last couple of days," said Cpl. Josiah Arnold of the Madera Police Department.

When police were called to a Madera home in September, they never expected to see children living in squalor. The family was hiding from Child Protective Services out of an abandoned garage with a single mattress.

"We've experienced everything from them screaming in their faces to literally kicking their 6-year-old son out the door, and yelling and screaming at him. I mean just you know insane things," a neighbor, who didn't want us to show his face, said.

The neighbor says he's made dozens of calls to police concerning the safety of the two children. The kids were finally removed from their parents' care in September. But this past weekend, they tricked the kid's grandfather, who was taking them on a lunch visit.

"Donald and Mandee went to his house and told them they were no longer prevented from seeing the kids by CPS and took the kids, which wasn't true," said Cpl. Arnold.

Kelly Woodard is the director of the Madera County Department of Social Services. While she can't comment on this specific case, she stressed to Action News the severity of the situation.

"For the court to step in, and for us to remove the children, and for law enforcement to place a hold on the children, it's a very serious action to remove children from their parents," said Woodard.

The Murphys were charged with possession of meth and child endangerment when their kids were taken away, but they were never arrested because of health-related issues, according to police. Neighbors say it is clear that drug abuse in this family is just the tip of the iceberg.

"Some physical abuse, tons we know that we hear going on but you don't see it firsthand, but just the verbal alone I mean it's insane. You know it's going to ruin the kids," the neighbor said.

The parents are facing felony parental abduction charges and will be booked by Colorado state troopers. They'll have to go through an extradition process before they are brought back to California.

In the meantime, the kids will be reunited with their foster family as soon as possible.