MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation says four children were found safe Wednesday night after being missing for a month.
The TBI issued an AMBER Alert for Mariah Thomas, Jamiyah Thomas, Chance Veasley and Keimiaya Veasley. The children had been missing since October 5 and were believed to have been taken by their mother, 25-year-old Jamisha Thomas.
Memphis Police say the children were found in the 2800 block of Nathan Avenue in Binghampton at 7 p.m. Wednesday night.
Memphis Police say Thomas is now in custody. She turned herself in Thursday morning.
Thomas has been charged with kidnapping and child abuse. Lorenda Thomas, Jamisha Thomas’ mother, helped her daughter turn herself into police.
“I’m trying to question myself. Did I do the right thing? I’m in pain, did I do the right thing?” Lorenda said.
She says her grandchildren were never in danger.
“Jamisha Thomas is not a bad mama. She loves her kids,” Lorenda said. “If them kids was missing, in danger for a whole month, why did ya’ll just put an alert on? In some kind of way, it’s a miscommunication, and in some kind of way somebody ain’t did their job.”
Lorenda says her four grandchildren were taken into state custody last night. She’s concerned about what could happen to them. She says authorities told her her home is too small for them all to live there.
“The only thing that I’m trying to say, I’m a grand mama,” Lorenda said. “I’m screaming out. That’s my grandkids, that’s all I got. I’ve been taking care of my grandkids, what more do y’all want from me?”
She says she’s now going to do everything in her power, including move, to get them back.
She also wants to send a message to her daughter.
“Misha, I love you,” Lorenda said. “I’m going to do everything in my power to get you out, and I’m fighting for the kids.”
