Hollywood Children Allegedly Taken By Father Located In Sunny Isles Beach
HOLLYWOOD (CBSMiami) – Hollywood Police detectives said four children have been located unharmed after their father allegedly took them.
The children were located with James Michael Weathers, 24, at an apartment building on 174th Street in Sunny Isles Beach around 3:30 Monday afternoon.
Weathers allegedly took the children and disappeared with his girlfriend Julie Ann Pilkington, 22, as the Department of Children and Families was preparing to remove the children from his custody.
The children, Giovanni (aged six), Julianne (aged 5), and twins Isaac and Isaiah (aged two) are with the Department of Children and Families, Child Protective Investigative Services.
Weathers was temporarily detained by Hollywood police but no charges were filed. Investigators said it is an ongoing investigation.
The Department of Children and Families was scheduled to remove the children from James Weathers' home on the 5700 block of Pierce Street Monday morning. It's not clear why.
James Weathers has prior arrests for battery in three separate domestic violence cases, burglary, petty theft, grand theft, reckless driving, and cannabis possession. Pilkington doesn't have an arrest record in Broward County.
News that her children are safe came as a great relief to their mother and her family.
"Whooo! The emotions were amazing," said cousin Leilani Guillen.
Earlier Monday, Christine Cuba had shown up at Weathers home and made a tearful plea.
"Please I want my kids back," said Cuba.
Her family says she lost custody of the children last year when the water in her apartment was turned off.
"He always wanted to take the kids from her and now he has," said maternal grandmother Carole Ortiz.
There is a history of violence between the couple.
According to a Hollywood Police report obtained by CBS 4 News a little more than a year ago, Weathers was arrested for punching and kicking Cuba while she was holding one of the kids then trying to take the child.
The report says Weathers left and was later arrested.
Family members say the couple was trying to be civil for the sake of the children and that Weathers is a loving father.
"He's a good dad," said Yolanda Guillen. "He's never been a bad dad. He just doesn't want her to have the kids."
The mother's family says they will try to get temporary custody of the children at a court hearing on Tuesday morning.
"We're trying to get them back because they deserve to be with their mother," Guillen said.
