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Crime News

3 Michigan Children Still Missing 7 Years After Their Dad 'Gave Them To A Group'

The father also claimed he was protecting the boys from their mother.

By Gina Tron

Three brothers have been missing from the town of Morenci, Michigan since 2010. Andrew, Alexander and Tanner Skelton vanished from their home seven years ago, the day after Thanksgiving, according to Click On Detroit. Andrew was 9 years old, Alexander was 7 and Tanner was 5 at the time of their disappearance. The National Center for Missing Children has created age-progressed photos of what the brothers could possibly look like now.

The boys' mother, Tanya Skelton, told Morenci police that her husband John Skelton had the children last. He was supposed to bring the boys back home to her. John’s original story was that he gave his three sons to “a group.” No group has ever come forward. It is unclear what kind of group he meant. Since then, his story has allegedly changed. John is currently in prison, serving 10 to 15 years, on an unlawful imprisonment charge, according to CBS Detroit.

John also claimed he was trying to protect his boys from their mother. Tanya was charged with fourth-degree criminal misconduct in the '90s for having sex with a 14-year-old boy. John claimed she was also abusing her own sons, a claim Tanya denied.

"That has all been investigated," Tanya said. "My stuff was gone through. My children come first. Always have, always will. My dream job was to be a mom, and it is the greatest job in the world. But to say that I abused my sons, [that] kills me."

The case is still open. Lt. Detective Jeremy took it over in 2013. He expressed that police are closer to solving the case now than they were in 2010.

"As a police officer, you know, you're realistic," Brewer said. "You have to be realistic because you've had cases that some are solved and some are not. On a case like this, with the magnitude, with the resources we have directed towards it, I firmly believe without a doubt that we will get some type of closure on it one day."

"I wonder, are they scared?" the boys’ mother Tanya told Click On Detroit. "Are they crying for me? [...] It's so hard to imagine them hurting for me and not being able to do anything about it.”

Anyone with information is urged to call police at 517-636-0689.

[Photo: The National Center for Missing Children]