Missing Midlothian children found

ELLIS COUNTY – The Amber Alert issued by the Ellis County Sheriff’s Department last week was canceled when the children were found safe in Missouri.

They were taken into the custody of Missouri Child Protective Services, according to Ellis County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Jerry Cozby.

The Amber Alert was issued last Friday for the two Midlothian children who at the time of the disappearance were believed to be in “imminent danger and likely to suffer serious physical harm,” according to a statement issued by the Ellis County Sheriff’s Department.

The children were identified as 12-year-old Jada Rain Welch and her brother, 6-month-old Tristan Lee Welch.

The Ellis County Sheriff’s Department said they believed the parents of Jada and Tristan, Alethia Shareen Tyson, 35 and Scott Anthony Welch, 43, were traveling with the children.

At the time of the Amber Alert, neither parent had been charged criminally.

After lengthy investigations involving the mother and father of the children, which was conducted by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, a court order had been sought to take custody of the children.

The parents were both known to have a history of using – and recently testing positive – for high levels of methamphetamine.

Upon the Ellis County court issuing the order for the children to be removed from the custody of their parents and turned over to DFPS, Jada was removed from school by her mother – and both parents fled the jurisdiction of the court.

The Ellis County Sheriff’s Office extended thanks to the numerous agencies who assisted in the search for the children including the employees of the Ellis County 911 dispatch center who fielded many calls throughout this process, members of the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, the Midlothian Police Department, the Jasper County, MO. Sheriff’s Office, the Joplin, MO. Police Department, the Newton County, MO. Sheriff’s Office, and the National center for Missing and Exploited Children.