Police say a man's mother and sister helped him take his two children from their mother

LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Kidnapping became a family event Monday when Joshua Marsh, his sister, Jessica Marsh, and his mother, Melissa Whitaker, snatched Joshua Marsh's two children, according to police.

The children — 2 and 3 years old — were in the 200 block of North Second Street about 2:10 p.m. Monday when Marsh and his family members kidnapped them from their custodial mother, Ryan Stevens, according to Lafayette police.

Joshua Marsh, 28, left the scene in one car, and his mother and sister — along with the children — drove from the scene in another car, according to police.

Officers stopped Melissa Ann Whitaker at 2:16 p.m. at Ninth and Brown streets, but she was alone in the car, police said. They detained her on suspicion of kidnapping.

With the help of downtown business owners and other witnesses, police located the children and Joshua and Jessica Marsh inside an apartment in the 1000 block of Main Street. The children were safe, and the brother and sister were arrested.

Police booked Whitaker, 50, homeless in Lafayette, and Jessica Ann Marsh, 30, 40 Hedgewood Terrace, Lafayette, into the Tippecanoe County Jail on suspicion of kidnapping.

Joshua David Marsh, 40 Hedgewood Terrace, Lafayette, was jailed on suspicion of neglect of a dependent and kidnapping. He also is wanted on a warrant accusing him of violating community correction.

All three remained jailed Tuesday afternoon without bond, according to online jail records.

Reach Ron Wilkins at rwilkins@jconline.com. Follow on Twitter: @RonWilkins2.

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Lafayette kidnapping: 3 arrested, police say family snatched kids