LARGO, Fla. – The parents of three children, who were the subject of a Florida Missing Alert Tuesday, have been arrested, and the children returned to protective custody.
On Monday, the Largo Police Department received a call from a Family Care Manager attempting to list three juvenile children, Benjamin Spears, Hannah Spears, and Noah Spears, as missing and endangered.
Through the investigation, Largo Detectives learned that on February 28, 2024, Tyler Spears and Natalie Spears appeared at the Department of Children and Families on Ulmerton Road for a mandatory visit with their children.
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Police say that during the visit, information was developed that would have affected Tyler and Natalie Spears’ ability to retain custody of their children.
Natalie Spears quickly left with the children, concealed the vehicle tag she was operating, and turned off her cell phone.
A court order was later issued on March 1, 2024, by Hernando County, where the initial custody case stemmed from, to take the children into custody.
Detectives with the Largo Police Department Investigative Services Division (ISD) used multiple investigative resources to locate the missing children.
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The parents and children were located in Pasco County at the Holiday Hotel and Resort in Holiday.
On March 5, 2024, at approximately 2330 hours, with the assistance of the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, the parents were located, and the three children were recovered and unharmed.
Natalie Spears and Tyler Spears agreed to accompany the children back to the Largo Police Department to be turned over to the Department of Children and Families.
Natalie Spears and Tyler Spears were arrested for Interference with Child Custody and transported to the Pinellas County Jail.
“The Largo Police Department would like to thank the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for their assistance with this investigation,” the department said.
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