Silver alert for three small children in “extreme danger”

A family of five, including three young children, has gone missing in Indiana, prompting a Silver Alert to be issued across the state.

The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department said it is investigating the disappearance of parents Willie Terrell, 50, and Jessika Terrell, 31, and their three children, Frankie Terrell, 4, Queen Terrell, 3, and King Terrell, 1.

Silver Alerts are typically issued for missing seniors or mentally disabled people. In Indiana, they can also be issued for missing children who are believed to be in danger.

Police said the three children were last seen with their biological parents in Indianapolis at 12:36 p.m. local time on Thursday, July 4, 2024. The alert was issued Friday evening.

“They are believed to be in extreme danger and may require medical attention,” Indianapolis police said of the children.

Authorities also released photos of the five family members and identifying information.

The four-year-old boy Frankie is 91 cm tall and weighs 20 kg. He was last seen wearing a pink shirt and blue pants.

The three-year-old girl, named Queen, is 71 cm tall, weighs 13.6 kg and was last seen wearing a pink shirt, grey pants and bright tennis shoes.

And one-year-old boy King is 43 cm tall, weighs 7 kg and was last seen wearing a Mickey Mouse costume and red shoes.

All three children were described by police as black with brown hair and brown eyes.

The father Willie is described as being 1.65 m tall, weighing 82 kg, bald and with brown eyes. The mother Jessika is also described as being 1.65 m tall, weighing 68 kg and with brown hair and brown eyes.

According to some media reports, police believe Jessika Terrell may also be known as Jessika Officer.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of the children is asked to contact the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department at 317-327-6541 or 911.

Indiana has updated its Silver Alert criteria in 2023 to include missing and at-risk children under certain circumstances, rather than just at-risk adults. Typically, Amber Alerts are issued for missing children who are believed to have been abducted.

The circumstances surrounding the disappearance of the Terrell children are unclear, as is the reason for issuing a Silver Alert.

Newsweek reached out to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department via email outside of regular business hours on Sunday for additional information.

As of the early hours of Sunday morning, police had not released any further information about the children’s whereabouts or well-being.