Missing Idaho Kids: Police Searching For Children Of Couple Last Seen In September

A mother and her new husband from Idaho are considered persons of interest in the disappearance of the mother’s two children and death of the man’s former wife.

Police in Rexburg, Idaho, said Saturday Lori Vallow and Chad Daybell were wanted for questioning for the disappearance of Vallow’s children, 7-year-old Joshua Vallow and 17-year-old Tylee Ryan. Both children were last reportedly seen September but Vallow and Daybell never informed police the two went missing.

Rexburg police first learned the pair was missing when they began investigating the death of Daybell’s previous wife, Tammy Daybell, on Oct. 19. The Rexburg and Sugar City librarian was reportedly found dead from natural causes in her home before being buried in Springville, Utah. However, the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office reportedly found evidence that Daybell’s death was suspicious and order the body to be exhumed on Dec. 11 to conduct a second autopsy.

The results of the second autopsy have been withheld from the public by the Utah Office of the Medical Examiner.

Vallow and Daybell reportedly married within weeks of Tammy Daybell’s death and told authorities multiple stories about the status of their children.

“They’ve told us several stories about where the children are, but when we investigate, the children don’t exist where they say they should,” Fremont County Sheriff Len Humphries told reporters. “We don’t know where they are at, but we think they are in pretty serious danger.”

The situation escalated on Nov. 26 when Vallow’s relatives outside Idaho requested a welfare check due to Joshua's status as a special needs child. Vallow and Daybell reportedly told police he was staying with family in Arizona, which was quickly proven to be false.

Police conducted searches of areas in Rexburg connected to Vallow but found no sign of either child. It was also discovered the couple reportedly fled their home and cut off contact with relatives outside of Idaho.

Joshua is listed at 4-foot and 50 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes. Tylee is listed at 5-foot and 160 pounds with blonde hair and blue eyes.

Police are asking anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of the children or Vallow and Daybell to get in contact with local law enforcement.

Rexburg is located in southeast Idaho. It has a population of about 28,000. Roughly 95% of Rexburg's population is part of the Church of Latter-day Saints.