Correction: Kidnapping Charges-Illinois story
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) - In a story Sept. 24 about an Illinois man arrested on charges of kidnapping his 13-year-old stepdaughter and her baby, The Associated Press misidentified the man. He is Christopher M. Derleth, not Christopher Ray Derleth.
A corrected version of the story is below:
Illinois man arrested in kidnapping of teenager and baby
An Illinois man accused of kidnapping his 13-year-old stepdaughter and her 3-week-old baby has been arrested at a makeshift campsite in West Virginia
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) - An Illinois man accused of kidnapping his 13-year-old stepdaughter and her 3-week-old baby was arrested Saturday after he and the children were found at a makeshift campsite in the mountains of West Virginia.
Kanawha County Sheriff's Office Sgt. Brian Humphreys told The Charleston Gazette-Mail (http://bit.ly/2cZPAwH ) that someone called to report that Christopher M. Derleth had been spotted in the Cabin Creek area, south of Charleston.
Derleth, 39, was arrested around 1:30 p.m. Saturday on a nationwide arrest warrant. He will be brought before a Kanawha County judge for extradition to Madison County, Illinois, where he faces kidnapping charges.
Derleth's stepdaughter and her son were transported to a local hospital to be examined. Humphreys said they appeared to be fine.
The three went missing last weekend, after the girl and her baby were taken from a home near Edwardsville in southern Illinois, police said. Prosecutors filed kidnapping charges on Monday, and an Amber Alert was issued for the children.
Derleth had previously been ordered not to contact the teen. He also has been the subject of two criminal investigations in Bond County, Illinois, according to State's Attorney Chris Bauer, who declined to give more information.
The teen and her baby had been in the care of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services. A spokeswoman said the guardians who had custody of them weren't present when the children were taken.
Authorities were particularly worried about the two because of the baby's young age and because the teenager has a congenital heart defect and a pacemaker, and the equipment she needs to ensure it works property were left behind.
Earlier this week police said Derleth is an outdoorsman who had talked recently with family and friends about free campsites around the country. He left the Edwardsville-area with tents, sleeping bags and other items typically used for camping, they said.
Humphreys said he did not know if Derleth had an attorney who could comment on his behalf.
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A previous version of this story was corrected to show that the man's last name is Derleth, not Delerth, and that the infant boy was 3 weeks old, not 2 weeks old.