Two young children from Florida were found safe in a Wisconsin park after being taken on a 1,000-mile journey by a family friend turned kidnapper. Eighteen-year-old Adalyn Jean Burkett and 22-year-old Marquan Edwards were arrested on Monday, two days after the children's mother reported them missing from their Panama City home. The Bay County Sheriff's Office revealed that the pair allegedly drove the children and their mother's car to Milwaukee between June 23 and 24. Upon realizing they were under investigation, Burkett and Edwards reportedly abandoned the toddlers in a Milwaukee park to avoid arrest.

A Florida Department of Law Enforcement missing child alert was issued for two-year-old DeKarsen Middleton and one-year-old Delyla Middleton, leading to arrest warrants and media coverage in Milwaukee. Fortunately, the children were discovered unharmed in the park on Sunday and placed in the care of Milwaukee police while U.S. Marshals apprehended Burkett and Edwards. The children were reunited with their family the following day after a 17-hour drive from Florida. Their grandmother expressed both relief and betrayal, emphasizing the unexpected nature of Burkett's actions. Adding another layer to the story, it was revealed that Burkett herself had been reported missing from Milwaukee in 2020 at the age of 15 and hadn't been seen since 2021 until this incident. Milwaukee police are currently working with the Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office to file charges.