ELKINS, W.Va. — A Randolph County couple faces charges after state officials say they took their own child out of state custody and crossed state lines.
Darries and Megan Fauntleroy, both 40, of Montrose, W.Va. were arrested Sunday in Kingstree, South Carolina. According to State Police Senior Trooper Anthony Petrella, the couple fled to the Palmetto state with their seven- year old daughter and had no plans to return. Petrella was alerted Friday by the West Virginia Department of Human Services Darries Fauntleroy had notified them he had to go to New Jersey for job training.
“It was communicated that he was not allowed to take the child with him. After they got this information, they went to the residence and everything was gone from the residence. Appliances, furniture, everything was gone it was bare,” Petrella told MetroNews.
The seven-year old was in custody of the state of West Virginia. However, Darries Fauntleroy was the caretaker of the child and had her in his custody. However, he had to follow all orders from the state in regard to her affairs. But according to Petrella, Megan Fauntleroy had no rights to the child at all and was in facto on orders to stay away from the child.
“The mother has no legal rights to custody of the child. It’s even so far she’s not permitted to have any contact with the child, even over the phone. No communication,” said Petrella.
When it was learned they were gone, Petrella enlisted the help of the U.S. Marshal Service and it wasn’t long until they had located Darries Fauntleroy’s vehicle in South Carolina and took all three into custody.
“They had moved from the state to South Carolina. Mr. Fauntleroy had been deceptive he was going to New Jersey for job training when in fact he was moving his family to South Carolina in violation of a court order,” he explained.
The child was unharmed and is in the custody of South Carolina Child Protective Services and will be sent back to West Virginia. The Fauntleroy’s are being held in the Florence County, South Carolina Detention Center awaiting extradition back to the Mountain State.