Three Indiana children missing since July 4 found safe in Texas

Three children from Indiana who disappeared with their parents on July 4 have been found safe in Texas.

Their parents--Willie Terrell, 50, and Jessika Officer-Terrell, 31, who do not have legal custody of the children--took them from their grandfather at Famous Dave's restaurant in Indianapolis on July 4.

Terrell and Officer-Terrell have both been charged with three felony counts for violating a child custody court order. They were taken into custody and detained Tuesday in the Frio, Texas County Jail.

According to police, the children, whose ages are four, three, and one, required daily medications and had been neglected and malnourished in the past when in the custody of their parents. 

Indiana child welfare officials placed the children with their grandfather, James Officer, who had brought them to the restaurant to meet with their parents. Their Department of Family Services case manager from LaPorte County had approved that visit.

When James Officer used the bathroom, Terrell and Jessika Officer left in a white minivan with the children.

Police issued an alert because the parents did not have custody, and the children had medical conditions that could potentially be deadly if they did not receive their prescribed medication.

On Monday, police were able to use cell phone data to locate Terrell in Columbus, Texas.

According to a probable cause affidavit, Terrell had been speaking with his therapist, who told her that the children were healthy and that the family was planning to travel to Mexico.

Terrell told the therapist that he wanted the FBI to investigate why his children kept being taken from him.

Police arrested the parents on Tuesday evening at the Rio Frio hotel in Pearsall, Texas, after a brief standoff, according to local authorities.