A day after missing Michelle Parker's youngest children were returned to their father by court-order, her mother gave insight into the family's brief reunion.
Earlier this week the Department of Children and families removed Parker's twin toddlers from their father Dale Smith II's care and placed them in protective custody shortly after he was named a suspect in the 33-year-old's disappearance earlier this month.
The 3-year-old twins — a boy and a girl — were placed with their grandmother, Yvonne Stewart, who has helped care for the children since they were born.
Despite a lengthy criminal history and documented violence between Parker and her ex-fiance, an Orange County Circuit judge ruled Wednesday that the children were not in imminent danger by being in Smith's custody and ordered the children be reunited with their father.
Stewart took care of the twins for nearly 24 hours and said Thursday the children seemed healthy and happy.
However, before reuniting with the children, Parker's family took care to remove missing person posters and T-shirts with Parker's face on them. When the children asked for their mother, Stewart told them she was at work.
"It breaks my heart," she said.
The children have lived with Stewart and her family on-and-off for most of their lives and have bedrooms at her home. They wanted French fries and chocolate milk, so the family took them to McDonald's.
Once home, the twins played with their new Chihuahua puppy their mother bought for them recently and then got ready for bed.
The next day they were returned to their father, whom they are not accustomed to spending so much time with, Stewart said.
"It was heart wrenching because they were happy to be with us. I really know Michelle would want them to be with us," Stewart said. "I think we are going to work out some amicable grandma visit time."
Also Thursday, the founder of search-and-rescue group Texas EquuSearch arrived in Orlando to begin aiding in the search Parker at the request of the prime suspect.
Tim Miller planned to meet with his one-time lawyer Mark NeJame, who is also representing Smith, and requested to meet with Orlando homicide detectives who are conducting the investigation into the 33-year-old's disappearance, he said.
A police spokesman said detectives do not plan on meeting with Miller.
Earlier this week attorney NeJame said his client asked for Miller's help after Smith, 40, was named the prime suspect in Parker's disappearance. Smith has not been charged.
Miller and his search group came to Florida twice in 2008 to look for missing Caylee Marie Anthony, whose remains were found by a utility worker in December of that year.
Searchers from the Orange County Sheriff's deputies and EquuSearch volunteers resumed their search of Lake Ellenor, off Oak Ridge Road near Orange Blossom Trail, Thursday. Parker's iPhone last 'pinged' in the general vicinity on Nov. 17, the day she vanished.
Police declined to say what, if anything, was recovered.
Parker was last seen dropping off the twins with Smith at his home on South Semoran Boulevard around 3:15 p.m. Nov. 17. A message sent from her phone around 4:30 p.m. that day said she planned to go to the Waterford Lakes area. Her family became worried when she failed to show up for work at The Barn in Sanford that night.
Police found her Hummer abandoned the following day at an apartment complex in southwest Orlando.
The Orlando Sentinel hosted an on-line chat with more than 300 people Thursday. Members of the public posted questions about the investigation and gave their theories about how Parker may have disappeared.
Anyone with information about Parker's disappearance is asked to call Crimeline at 1-800-423-8477.
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/cr...w-2008075.html
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