Mom In Custody After Missing GA Boy Found In Los Angeles

SNELLVILLE, GA — A 7-year-old Snellville boy who disappeared Tuesday was found safe in California, and his mother has been taken into custody in connection with his disappearance, police said.

Gwinnett County Police said Royal Marks was located in Los Angeles. Police accused his mother, Michelle Marks, of using an alias to travel from the Atlanta airport to Los Angeles International Airport.

Local authorities notified the Los Angeles Police Department, who were able to find the mother-son pair at a past address police said was associated with Michelle Marks. She was then taken into custody, police said.

On Tuesday, police said kidnapping warrants in Gwinnett County had been taken out against Michelle Marks. She also faces warrants in Oklahoma, police said.

Royal disappeared from Valley Bluff Lane, police said.

According to police, mom Michelle Marks lost custody of her son last year in Oklahoma after being accused of child neglect. Royal's father, who lives in Georgia, took custody of the child, police said.

Michelle Marks was visiting the child at the time of his disappearance, police said.

During the visit, she was accused of threatening to harm herself multiple times if she were to lose full custody of Royal. Police said the threats were made during a conversation about a future custody hearing.

Royal's father alleged to officers that Michelle Marks "took Royal during the middle of the night after making the threats," police said.

It was not immediately known if Royal had been reunited with his father.