Deputies seek help finding two children taken by siblings

The Ripley County Sheriff’s Department is seeking the public’s help in locating four children from the Doniphan area.

Officials say two teens forcibly removed two younger siblings from their mother’s care shortly before 2 a.m. Friday.

“Deputies have had contact with one of the suspects and the suspect will not tell deputies where they are,” officials reported in an endangered persons alert. “The suspect will only say they are safe, and they will not bring them back.

The children are Ashton and Raelyn Vargas, ages 5 and 7.

They are believed to be traveling in a silver or tan Ford truck with 16-year-old Joshua Williams and 15-year-old James Williams.

The elder teen is 6 feet tall, 200 pounds, with red hair, blue eyes and wearing blue camouflage shorts.

The younger teen is 5-foot 11-inches, and 250 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes. He is also wearing blue camouflage shorts.

The children were taken from a home at 424 Ripley Route K. The vehicle was last seen traveling westbound on Route K.

Raelyn is 4 feet tall and 60 pounds with brown hair and hazel eyes. She was wearing a tie-dye Trolls shirt, white sweater and blue shorts, with no shoes.

Ashton is 3 feet 5 inches and 50 pounds, with brown hair and hazel eyes. He was wearing blue shorts and no shoes.

Anyone seeing the missing person, suspect, associate, or vehicle, or anyone having any information related to the endangered missing person should immediately dial 911 to contact the nearest law enforcement agency or call the Ripley County Sheriff’s Department at 573-996-7123.