Police investigate vehicle in abuse case
LAWRENCE - The vehicle used to transport children who were found tied up and blindfolded in a Lawrence Walmart parking lot could be a key piece of evidence in the investigation.
Through the tint of the older model Chevy Silverado that broke down in the parking lot, you can see boxes piled to the roof. A sheet of some sort covers the windows, and when police apprehended the man that drove the SUV, trash, food, and beverage items fell out.
At the time, five children were in the car. Two of those children were tied up and blindfolded. The parents, 52 year-old Adolfo Gomez and 43 year-old Deborah Gomez, are now behind bars on two counts of child abuse and three counts of aggravated assault. They will face a judge for their second court appearance on June 21.
In the meantime, investigators are building their case. Much of it will likely come through interviews and evidence found in the car. Police told us they processed several items from the vehicle. 6News tracked the vehicle down to Auto Accents on Four Wheel Drive in Lawrence, where the owners say the car was there but back in police custody.
The children are currently in state custody. The parents are not only faced with the possibility of felony convictions for alleged child abuse, but possibly thousands of dollars in fees for storage and repair of the vehicle.
Police say the family was on their way from Illinois to Arizona when the car broke down. A neighbor in Illinois says the parents recently held a garage sale and were selling everything.