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Police from Ohio to Florida searching for four missing children

Posted at 12:19 PM, Aug 28, 2018
and last updated 2018-08-28 12:19:33-04

Marianne Merritt

LIMA, Ohio - Four abducted and endangered children may be on the way to Florida from Ohio, according police in Lima, Ohio.

The children range in ages from 8-to 13 years old.

On Tuesday, police issued a statement advising residents of all states between Ohio and Florida to be on the lookout. That includes Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, and Georgia.

Police report the children were taken by their mother Marianna L. Merritt who does not have custodial rights of the children.

Charles Perkins

Merritt may be joined by her boyfriend Charles Perkins who police say was abusive towards the children.

There are active warrants for Perkins, and he may be armed and dangerous.

Officials advise they could be in a dark blue 2000 Chrysler Voyager with a white passenger door. The vehicle has Ohio plates reading FMQ3175.

Merritt, the mother, is a 40-year-old white woman with red hair and green eyes, standing at 5'5" and weighing about 210 pounds.

Perkins, Merritt's boyfriend, is a 39-year-old white man with brown hair and brown eyes, standing at 5'5" and weighing 164 pounds.

The four children are described as follows.

  • Damara Croley, 13, is a  white girl born on Nov. 8, 2004. She is 5’3" and 180 pounds. She has brown hair and blue eyes. She was last seen wearing a red OSU shirt and Spider-man web pants.
  • Benjamin Karl-Leland Croley, 12, is a white boy born on Jan. 30, 2006. He is 5’1” and 120 pounds. He has blonde hair and blue eyes. He was last seen wearing yellow smiley emoji pants.
  • Patience Wilson, 9, is a white girl born on March 5, 2009. She is  4’5” and 80 pounds. She has blonde hair and blue eyes. She was last seen wearing a white top and dark blue or black leggings.
  • Damien Wilson, 8, is a white boy born on April 16, 2010. He is 4’5” and 111 pounds. He has blonde hair and blue eyes. He was last seen wearing a blue shirt and red and black shorts.