A Virginia woman has been arrested after stealing a vehicle with 5 kids in it after their dad stopped to help multi-car crash victims.
Markell Hancox was charged with five counts of second-degree kidnapping, leaving the scene of an accident, and larceny of a motor vehicle.
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Currently, Hanocox is being held at the Currituck County Detention Center. Her bond is set at $210,000, according to a release by the Currituck County Sheriff’s Office. The incident all started this past Sunday at around 12:40 p.m. when a man driving the Suburban SUV witnessed the multi-vehicle crash on Route 158 in Grandy, North Carolina.
The father of five walked up to the crash site to check on the victims. Hancox, who was one of the drivers involved in the collision, jumped into the driver’s seat of the Suburban and took off with the man’s children inside the vehicle.
The suspect proceeded to head north on Caratoke Highway and pull into a convenience store in Grandy, where she jumped and ran, according to authorities. Deputies from Currituck County and the victim himself caught up with her on foot and quickly apprehended her.
“The children were extremely shaken, but not harmed,” the Currituck County Sheriff’s Office said, per People.
And this past Monday, Hancox arrived at the Currituck County Courthouse for her first appearance. She has been appointed a public defender. Her next court date is set for November 17 at 9:30 a.m., according to the Currituck County Courthouse.
In the original Facebook post law enforcement shared, users were quick to share their praise and concerns.
One user commended the officers, saying: “Great job CCSO! So very thankful the children were unharmed but y’all dig a little deeper. There must have been reasons for her to jump into a vehicle belonging to someone else and drive away! Drugs?? Outstanding warrants??”
While another commented: “Great job CCSO! Thankful the children and dad didn’t get hurt. What is going on these days? I sound like [an] old-timer (Well, I am!) but I long for the old days here in the county…hardly any traffic after Labor Day, slower pace, crime was super low and you could help someone without them taking advantage of you in any way!”
Followed by: “That’s a scary thought!! Glad she stopped a didn’t take them on a wild ride cop chase. Poor kids and the poor father must have had a heart attack!!”