GERMANTOWN, Md. (AP) — A Clarksburg woman told investigators Saturday that her two children, who have been missing for about a week, are alive and safe, but she didn’t tell authorities where they were.
Police are still searching for the children.
Montgomery County authorities located the mother, 27-year-old Catherine Hoggle, on Friday night and Hoggle has been charged with misdemeanor child neglect.
Her children, 3-year-old Sarah Hoggle and 2-year-old Jacob Hoggle, have been missing since at least Monday.
Hoggle left her common-law husband, Troy Turner, on Monday after she was unclear about where she had dropped off her children, authorities said. Turner called the police on Monday around 8 p.m. to report all three missing.
Hoggle has been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, authorities said, and is being questioned by detectives.
Police said they believe Hoggle had been living on the street since her disappearance and altered her appearance since she was last seen.
Although Hoggle told authorities that “the kids are safe,” police were working to verify the statement and have enlisted K-9 units to join the search for the missing children.
