Missing children found. Their mother is behind bars

An Amber Alert for four Bradenton children has been canceled after the children were found safe early Friday morning in Alabama.

The children, Jowella Gadeaun, 12; Joseph Gadeaun Jr., 10; Jacqueline Gadeaun, 8; and Jocelyn Gadeaun, 6, were reported missing at 5 p.m. Sept. 15 by their grandmother, who has temporary custody of them. They were said to be with their 40-year-old mother, Jaima Gadeaun.

All four children were found safe in Eufaula, Ala., according to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office. Their mother is in jail in Eufaula.

Jowella, Joseph, Jacqueline and Jocelyn were located early Friday morning, according to a Facebook post from Chief Steve Watkins of the Eufaula Police Department.

Two guests staying at a Hampton Inn in Eufaula saw the Amber Alert for the children and thought they recognized them playing in the lobby area shortly after midnight, according to the post. Police were called, and officers identified the 2016 dark green Toyota Corolla in the alert.

Officers located Jaima Gadeaun and took her into custody. The children were checked by Eufaula Fire Department personnel and appeared to be in good health, according to Watkins. They were then turned over to the Barbour County Department of Human Resources.

Jaima Gadeaun, who faces a charge of interference with child custody, was in jail Friday awaiting an extradition hearing, according to the sheriff’s office.

She also faces an aggravated battery charge in Manatee County in connection with a July 5 home invasion. She sustained a gunshot wound to her hand and leg in the incident.

Two other men face charges in connection with the incident as well.

The children will be in temporary shelter pending their return to Manatee County, the sheriff’s office said.

In February, Jaima Gadeaun petitioned the court for an injunction for protection against domestic violence against her husband for her and her children but the petition was denied.

Watkins praised the hotel guests for their attentiveness and quick action to call police in the post and noted the officer’s response was based on the children’s safety.

“We are pleased that the incident was resolved professionally and peacefully,” the post said, in part.

This story was originally published September 22, 2017 at 6:27 AM with the headline "Missing children found. Their mother is behind bars."