A Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, father is facing kidnapping charges after he took his six kids to avoid Child & Youth Services, authorities said.
Robert Christensen Jr. was charged with kidnapping, interfering with child custody, concealing the whereabouts of a child and obstructing justice after he allegedly kidnapped his children on Wednesday night after learning CYS was going to take “emergency custody” of them, CBS affiliate WHP reported.
The 36-year-old Lancaster County man abused his kids, who are ages 4 to 11 years old, authorities told the news outlet. When he allegedly learned CYS was coming, Christensen told the mother of the children in a phone call, “That isn’t happening,” and drove away with the kids from their West High Street home in Elizabethtown Borough, WHP reported.
A missing persons alert was sent out, and they were found more than 170 miles away in Cambria County around 11 p.m. on Wednesday during a traffic stop.
The news outlet reported Christensen was then taken into police custody, and all the kids were found unharmed. It was not immediately known who now has custody of the children.
Christensen is currently in the Lancaster County Prison, according to court documents. He was unable to post bail on Thursday.
The 36-year-old man’s preliminary hearing is set for later this month, court documents show. He faces 24 total charges, 18 of which are felonies.
Anyone with information in connection with the case can call the Elizabethtown Borough Police Department at 717-664-1180.
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