Sentenced: Missing Florida Children Found Abandoned In Wisconsin Park

[Sugar Cookie]

Two young children reported missing out of Florida were found abandoned in a park in Milwaukee.

The siblings are 2-year-old Dekarsen Middleton and 1-year-old Delyla Middleton from Florida's panhandle.

Unbeknownst to their mother, the two were on a cross-country journey over the weekend. Florida law enforcement said they were with close family friend Adalyn Burkett and her boyfriend, Marquan Edwards.

"The mother reported that Burkett was supposed to babysit her two children overnight. The mother also allowed Burkett to use her vehicle for the night with the agreement that Burkett would return the vehicle the morning of June 24th," Bay County Sheriff's Office in Panama City said in a statement.

The two did not return with the children and car on Saturday, June 24. Instead, investigators said Burkett and Edwards drove nearly 1,000 miles to Wisconsin.

"We never thought she would have done something like that. We trusted her," Leach said.
"It just shows you who you can't trust."

By Sunday evening, Milwaukee police found the children abandoned at a park near North 28th Street and West Clarke Street at 6 p.m. They were unharmed. Dekarsen and Delyla's family drove through the night from Florida to be reunited with the two Monday afternoon.

Around the same time, investigators confirmed U.S. Marshals arrested Burkett and Edwards at a home in Milwaukee. They are facing charges in Florida for taking the children and car. The Bay County Sheriff's Office said Milwaukee Police are investigating the two for abandoning the child in the park.

2 missing children from Florida found in Wisconsin reunited with family, suspects arrested

"We've been on the road since 4 o'clock yesterday. We drove 17 hours to get here," said Tina Leach, the children's grandmother.

www.wisn.com

 

[mind the gap]

So glad they are safe now little characters

 

[Sugar Cookie]

They are both adorable.

 

[BuffettGirl]

Pretty sure they couldn't get any cuter if they tried!

 

[AliCatClick]

She took a lot of unnecessary steps to get rid of the kids once she was tired of them. Woulda been easier to just return them to their mother. That's like the biggest perk about babysitting, you get to give them back! Guess she missed the memo.

 

[DeeDee]

I hope the kids just feel like they went on an adventure with mommy's friend. Not that they were kidnapped and abandoned.

Sucks the family had to drive all that way and then back. I feel like this would be good use of the crime victims funds. Air fare to go get them and one adult could drive the car back. The extra time apart from their parents while they drove for a day seems unnecessarily cruel.

 

[cubby]

Bet there's always a lot of giggling at their house, sweet faces, beautiful smiles, little rascals.

 

[Alxprkrkrls]

When you want kids but then realize how frickin irritating they are lol


they seem oblivious and like they got a fun tour of the police station, thankful they weren’t harmed.

 

[runninfawn]

She took a lot of unnecessary steps to get rid of the kids once she was tired of them. Woulda been easier to just return them to their mother. That's like the biggest perk about babysitting, you get to give them back! Guess she missed the memo.

i think what the wanted was the car not the kids but couldn't return the kids and keep the car....

 

[Sugar Cookie]

Name:	BURKETT, ADALYN JEAN

Supervision Begin Date:	02/29/2024

Current Status:	ABSCONDER/FUGITIVE
Supervision Type:	COMMUNITY CONTROL - PROB.
Scheduled Termination Date:	02/27/2029

Current Community Supervision History:​

Offense Date	Offense	Sentence Date	County	Case No.	Community Supervision Length
06/24/2023	INTERFERS W/CUSTODY CHILD UNDE	02/29/2024	BAY	2302383	5Y 0M 0D
06/24/2023	INTERFERS W/CUSTODY CHILD UNDE	02/29/2024	BAY	2302383	5Y 0M 0D
06/24/2023	GRAND THEFT MOTOR VEHICLE	02/29/2024	BAY	2302383	5Y 0M 0D
06/24/2023	INTERFERS W/CUSTODY CHILD UNDE	10/30/2024	BAY	2302383	1Y 6M 0D
06/24/2023	INTERFERS W/CUSTODY CHILD UNDE	10/30/2024	BAY	2302383	1Y 6M 0D
06/24/2023	GRAND THEFT MOTOR VEHICLE	10/30/2024	BAY	2302383	1Y 6M 0D

Name:	EDWARDS, MARQUAN R

Supervision Begin Date:	11/15/2023
Current Location:	PANAMA CITY
Current Status:	ABSCONDER/FUGITIVE
Supervision Type:	PROBATION FELONY
Scheduled Termination Date:	11/14/2025

Current Community Supervision History:​

Offense Date	Offense	Sentence Date	County	Case No.	Community Supervision Length
06/24/2023	INTERFERS W/CUSTODY CHILD UNDE	11/15/2023	BAY	2302383	0Y 24M 0D