CBS 2’s Roseanne Tellez has the latest on the children found after an Amber Alert notified the public of their disappearance.
Two children, who were the subject of an Amber alert, have been found safe by police. Their father, a person of interest in the shooting death of their mother, is still at large. Markham Police Chief Mack Sanders said the children appeared to be safe and healthy. “They were at their grandmother’s house,” Police Chief Sanders said. “Detectives went by there. She complied with our request. We don’t know where they were prior to us recovering them.”
The children, who were reported missing late Wednesday March 14, 2018, were found safe in their grandmother’s house Thursday afternoon. Markham police say 27-year-old Lakisha Roby, the children’s mother, was shot to death at a BP gas station at 167th Street & Pulaski Road at 1:34 a.m. Wednesday. Later that day, Lynn Washington, the children’s father, picked up the children about 2:00 p.m. Wednesday from a family friend, who had been watching them and was not aware of the shooting, according to Markham police. Washington, who has a criminal history related to domestic violence, is a person of interest in Lakisha Roby’s shooting death.
Lynn Washington, was believed to have had the children at the time they were reported missing, police said. Authorities said the children may have been in danger during that time, but Lynn Washington’s family emphasized that there was no order of protection for the children, referring to an order of protection that was issued November 30, 2017 that apparently involved Lakisha Roby.
Thursday afternoon, Jordyn Washington, age 2, and Lynn Roby, age 3, were found at their paternal grandmother’s home in Harvey by detectives and were taken to the Markham Police Department. Officials said the detectives refused to leave the home until the children came out. Some media reports listed the children as a male and female; however the official Amber alert listed the two children as females.
“They good, they safe, they were never in harm’s way and they’re safe with us,” said Washington’s niece Thursday. “They not safe with nobody else but us.”
While police said Washington disappeared about 2:00 p.m. with the children (about 12 hours after Roby was murdered), an Amber Alert wasn’t broadcast on area wireless phones until about 10:40 p.m. Wednesday March 14, 2018 (about 21 hours after their mother was shot, and about 8 hours and 40 minutes after the children were picked up by their father). Police say, the initial Amber Alert that notified area police officers in Illinois was not activated until 9:55 p.m. Wednesday because police were initially not aware that children were missing in connection with the homicide investigation.
The case involved in investigation locations in Country Club Hills, Robbins, Harvey and Markham — all south suburbs of Chicago. The shooting crime scene was at the border of Markham and Country Club Hills.
Washington is wanted by police for questioning. Lynn Washington is described as a male/black, age 40, with brown hair and brown eyes. Lynn Washington is about 5’9″ 180 LBS, and has tattoos on his neck, left arm, right arm and chest. He was described by police Wednesday as possibly driving a 2004 or 2005 Chevy Impala or Malibu. There was no indication late Thursday whether police thought Lynn Washington was still using the Chevy Impala or Malibu.
Citizens with information or who have sighted the Lynn Washington are urged to call 911.
Chevrolet Impala 2003-2005 file photo for Amber Alert March 14, 2018 in Illiniois (Malibu looks similar to this vehicle).
See also …
Amber Alert Issued for 2 Children After Mother Was Shot and Killed in Markham, Illinois
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