ELYRIA, Ohio – A babysitter and her fiance face multiple charges after a city worker called police Thursday to report a group of children getting into the back of a U-Haul truck at an Ohio gas station.
The man told police he spotted the truck at the Speedway on Lorain Boulevard in Elyria and prevented the driver from pulling away. According to the police report, four children between the ages of 2 and 6, a 15-year-old and the female suspect were in the back of the U-Haul.
The city worker told police, “there was no way he was going to let that truck leave with the kids in the back of it.” He stopped the driver from leaving the gas station and held them until officers arrived.
A witness photo taken at the Elyria, Ohio gas station shows the U-Haul truck a babysitter and her fiance used to transport the children. (Courtesy: WJW)
The 2-year-old, who was treated at the scene for heat exhaustion, was later flown to Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital for treatment. The other children were taken to the hospital for observation where the medical staff discovered the children had bed bugs, lice and fleas on them. The four younger children are now in the care of Cuyahoga County Children Family Services.
Police said Jamie Adkins was babysitting the kids and her fiance, Brian Dekam, was driving. Adkins has been watching them for about two weeks and they have not seen their mother during that time.
Adkins told police they left Cleveland around 4:30 a.m. Wednesday and drove to a flea market in Amherst. Adkins said they rode in the back of the U-Haul all the way there and were heading back to Cleveland when they stopped at the Speedway for drinks.
Adkins was charged with four counts of endangering children and Dekam was charged with five counts.
Adkins and Dekam are expected to be in court Thursday.
