7-year-old boy found safe, mother arrested, Gwinnett County police say

By
Updated  December 17, 2024 9:40pm EST
FOX 5 Atlanta

Michelle Marks (Gwinnett County Police Department)

The Brief

    • A 7-year-old boy kidnapped from Gwinnett County was safely located, and his mother, Michelle Marks, is in police custody after a multi-state investigation.
    • Marks allegedly took her son during a visit in Snellville and traveled from Atlanta to Los Angeles using an alias, prompting a swift police response.
    • The Los Angeles Police Department, along with federal and state agencies, played a crucial role in locating and apprehending Marks.
    • Michelle Marks had lost custody of her son in Oklahoma due to child neglect allegations and made threats related to an upcoming custody hearing.
    • The boy is now safely with authorities, and Marks faces multiple charges, including kidnapping and outstanding warrants in Oklahoma.

SNELLVILLE, Ga. - A 7-year-old boy reported as being kidnapped from Gwinnett County has been safely located, and his mother, Michelle Marks, is now in police custody following a swift investigation that spanned multiple states.

Michelle Marks arrested in Los Angeles

Marks allegedly took her son during a visit in Snellville after making concerning threats. Detectives assigned to the case discovered that Marks had traveled earlier Monday from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport using an alias.

Gwinnett County Police immediately alerted the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), who located both Michelle and Royal at a property previously associated with her. Authorities credited their quick coordination with the LAPD and assistance from federal and state agencies for resolving the case.

"Detectives would like to thank the Los Angeles Police Department and federal and state agencies for assisting in this case," police said in a statement.

Michelle Marks (Gwinnett County Police Department)

7-year-old kidnapped in Snellville

Police began searching for the boy after he was allegedly taken by his mother during an overnight visit. According to family members, Michelle Marks had made threats to harm herself if she were to lose custody of her son permanently. These alleged threats followed discussions about an upcoming custody hearing.

Michelle Marks, who lost custody of the boy in Oklahoma last year due to allegations of child neglect, reportedly took the boy in the middle of the night. Child welfare authorities had placed the boy in his father’s custody in Georgia. Police issued kidnapping warrants for Michelle Marks, who also has multiple outstanding warrants in Oklahoma.

The 7-year-old boy is now safely back in the care of authorities, and his mother faces multiple charges stemming from the incident.

The Source: The Gwinnettt County Police Department provided the details and photos for this article. This story has been updated to reflect that the boy has been found and his mother arrested. The name and images of the boy, which previously appeared in this article, has been removed.