NORWICH – Two children reported missing by their aunt and uncle were located safe and unharmed Wednesday morning.
Their mother, Jennifer E. Langer, 24, East Pharsalia, has been charged with endangering the welfare of a child, criminal possession of a controlled substance, and was charged for a separate incident of petit larceny.
At approximately 2 p.m., Tuesday, Langer took her two children, 6-year-old Elizabeth Hayes and 7-year-old Matthew Hayes, to local babysitter April Collier, and left them for an extended period of time. When the mother did not return after several hours, Collier took the children to “a safe location,” said police.
According to Norwich Police Sergeant Gard Turner, the children’s aunt and uncle became increasingly worried as time went by. Turner said he thought the relatives may have been in contact with Langer and were told where the children had been left. When the relatives could not locate the children, they notified the police that they were missing. In an effort to find the children, the aunt and uncle made flyers and distributed them in the Norwich area Tuesday. The flyers indicated the children were taken by Collier.
“The baby-sitter was in contact with us. She told us where she was taking the children for the night, but that didn’t work out. The baby-sitter was not charged,” Turner said.
The children, who had recently moved to the area from the Carolinas, were located safe and unharmed Wednesday morning. The Norwich Police Department notified the Department of Social Services and Child Protective Services. The children are currently in the care of their aunt and uncle.
During her time away from her children, Langer reportedly attempted to steal shoes and clothing from McLaughlin’s Department Store. An employee saw the incident and reported it. Langer was arrested Wednesday and charged with petit larceny, endangering the welfare of a child and criminal possession of a controlled substance in the second degree. She is scheduled to appear in court Sept. 13.