MADERA - After an extensive investigation by the Madera Police Department, the couple that abducted their children from Child Protective Services Saturday were arrested in eastern Colorado. The children, who were with them, were located and are in good health.
Donald and Mandee Murphy abducted two of their three children, a six year old boy and a thirteen year old girl, from foster care Saturday. The parent's had their children removed from their home and placed into protective custody with CPS on September 21, 2014. The Murphy's also have an adult son, Donovan Murphy (19) who was not with them.
Madera Police said the family has been living in squalor and were hiding from authorities last September in an abandoned garage with a single mattress. The parents were charged with child endangerment, possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia. The children were placed in protective custody with their aunt and uncle.
Last Saturday, the Murphy's had apparently convinced the children's grandfather that CPS had given permission for them to visit their kids, which was untrue. The grandfather had his grandchildren at his home for a lunch visit at the time, and soon after, the parents disappeared with the children.
Monday afternoon the vehicle the family was driving was pulled over by a state trooper on Interstate 76 in Colorado. Police had been able to located the family when someone in the car used their cellular phone and police were able to track them using the phone's GPS. Madera Police say the family was on their way to the Midwest where they have family.
The children were reportedly sleeping in the back of the car when they were pulled over. It appeared the family had been living in the small car during the previous two days. The car was full of their belongings and the trash associated with not having left the vehicle much during the time they had been on the road. The parents were booked into jail in Colorado. The children will be returning to their Aunt and Uncle in Madera sometime in the next couple of days.
Neighbors say it is clear that drug abuse in this family is just the tip of the iceberg. Physical and verbal abuse have been claimed by neighbors who could hear yelling from the Murphy's home.
In addition to their previous charges, the parents are now facing felony parental abduction charges and will have to go through an extradition process before they are brought back to California where they will stand trial.
