The Idaho mother of a pair of children who haven't been seen in months is being ordered by that state's Department of Health and Welfare to show that those children are still alive. This order was made after she and her husband were found in Hawaii, which most maps claim is about 3,000 miles from Idaho.
According to the Rexburg, Idaho Police Department, seven-year-old Joshua Vallow and 17-year-old Tylee Ryan were last seen in September.
Police had been attempting to question their mother, Lori Vallow, and her husband, Chad Daybell, but they claim that the two were uncooperative and that they had fled the state. Neither Vallow nor Daybell had reported the kids missing.
The Kaua'i Police Department in Hawaii previously said they were assisting the Rexburg police. Through a statement that department claimed that they had "served Vallow with an order of petition in an attempt to have her physically produce her children to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare."
The statement further said that the couple had been "staying on Kaua'i for an unconfirmed period of time," while revealing that a search warrant for themselves and their vehicle had been served.
Kaua'i cops further said that the couple doesn't face charges or arrest, but the Rexburg police released their own statement saying that Vallow has five days to produce the children, or she could could be found in contempt of court.
The search for the missing kids began on November 26 when a welfare check for Joshua, who has special needs, was conducted.
When that happened Vallow and Daybell allegedly told Rexburg police that he was staying with a family friend in Arizona. Investigators discovered that that was a lie. NBC News also reports that a witness told police Vallow had "falsely said" Tylee was dead.
Rexburg police state that they've learned that Vallow is either aware of the locations of the missing children, or knows what happened to them.
Police believe the disappearance of the kids is related to an investigation into the death of Tammy Daybell, the 49-year-old first wife of Chad. Tammy had been found dead in her home in October, and weeks later Chad and Vallow tied the knot.
Originally that death was ruled as natural, but has since been classified as suspicious. Subsequently Tammy's remains were exhumed for the purpose of conducting an autopsy.
As for Vallow's ex-husband, Charles Vallow, he died in July due to a gunshot from her brother, Alex Cox, following a confrontation between the two men.
Vallow and Cox were both questioned about that, but neither was charged. Cox later died in December.
In divorce documents filed by Charles when he was still alive, Lori had been accused of stating her belief that she was a reincarnated god who had been sent to lead when the second coming of Jesus returned in July 2020. The divorce documents further state that she threatened to kill Charles if he got in her way. During proceedings Charles' attorney also said that his client had a "genuine fear for his life."
