State police recover children taken from Delaware

Update: Cortez Hamilton, 32, is currently in custody at the Warrick County Jail. Indiana State Police detectives arrested him overnight on three warrants out of Delaware. Hamilton is not facing any local criminal charges. He is currently being held without bond.

The Delaware arrest warrant is for two counts of endangering the welfare of a child and one count of second degree assault with serious bodily harm.

Hamilton’s two children, Colette Hamilton, 4, and Cortez Hamilton, Jr, 4-months, were placed in the custody of the Warrick County Division of Child Services. The children’s mother, Keisha Hamilton, 35, is still missing.

This investigation is ongoing.

Previously:

Two children from a Delaware Amber Alert were recovered by the Indiana State Police Saturday.

This evening, the Delaware State Police issued an Amber Alert for 4-year-old Colette Hamilton and her brother, 4-month-old Cortez Hamilton, Jr., of Smyrna, Delaware. Both children, along with their mother, 35 year old Keisha Hamilton, had not been seen since 10:00 p.m. Friday.

At about 7:00 p.m., Delaware authorities informed the Indiana State Police that they had received information that the children were with their father, 32-year-old Cortez A. Hamilton, Sr., possibly traveling to St. Louis, Missouri, via the Interstate 64 corridor in a red 2005 Chevrolet Suburban.

Troopers, county deputies, and city officers responded to the area of Interstate 64 to attempt to locate the Chevrolet.

At 7:32 P.M., Jasper District Troopers Andrew Watson and Ross Johnson were sitting at the 38-mile marker on Interstate 64 and observed a large red SUV pass them traveling west. Both troopers caught up to the vehicle and found that it was a red Chevrolet Suburban with a Delaware license plate.

Troopers stopped the SUV at the 36-mile marker. They ordered the Hamilton out of the vehicle and placed him into custody without incident. Both Colette and Cortex Jr. were found safe inside the vehicle.

Hamilton, Sr. was taken to the Evansville State Police Post where State Police investigators are working in conjunction with the Delaware State Police.

No other information is available at this time as both agencies continue their investigation.