Missing children found in Rock Hill, parents arrested on drug charges

Two parents were arrested on heroin and marijuana charges after Rock Hill police stopped their van after receiving an alert from Massachusetts police about missing children.

An officer was at Piedmont Medical Center Wednesday night when he noticed a large white van in the parking lot. Moments later, he received a BOLO for a 1995 Ford van with a Massachusetts license plate suspected to be in Rock Hill. Authorities said a couple took their three children into hiding when a protection order was issued, according to a Rock Hill Police report.

Police stopped the van on Herlong Avenue and found three small children in the back watching a movie. They were not wearing pants or shoes.

Parents Kevin Burns, 49, and Missy Stoddard, 34, both of Westfield, Mass., were detained.

Police found marijuana and heroin in the vehicle, the report states. Officers also recovered $3,000 cash.

Burns and Stoddard were both charged with possession of heroin and possession of marijuana, according to the police report.

Police have not said why the family was in Rock Hill.

Burns said they had been at Piedmont Medical Center to get care for Stoddard, who is pregnant.

When police asked there the children’s clothes were, Burns stated, “I don’t know.” Police searched the vehicle and did not find any clothing.

The children were taken to the Rock Hill Law Center, where they were placed in Department of Social Services custody. Local police contacted Westfield Police in Massachusetts to inform them the children were located.

Bond was set at $5,652 each for Burns and Stoddard. They are not being held for extradition, despite violating a court order, said Rock Hill Police Capt. Mark Bollinger.

“Massachusetts authorities were just worried about the kids,” Bollinger said.

This story was originally published October 29, 2015 at 1:43 PM with the headline "Missing children found in Rock Hill, parents arrested on drug charges."