A multi-state search for a missing six-year-old Ohio boy concluded safely on Thursday, when federal marshals apprehended him and his suspected abductor in the Houston area. D’Juan Younger, 37, was caught after traveling more than a thousand miles with the child. He is now facing charges of interference with custody.
The issue began last weekend, when the boy’s mother left him with family members in Maple Heights, a Cleveland suburb. When she arrived to pick up her son on Monday, June 15, 2026, he was gone.
According to police reports, Younger absconded with the boy and fled to Texas. Both the mother and local police attempted to contact Younger, pleading with him to return the boy, but he refused.
Younger refused to assist, so the Maple Heights Police Department obtained a warrant for his arrest. Recognizing that the suspect had fled the state, the department’s detective bureau contacted the US Marshals Service SPEAR Unit (Specialized Personnel for Enforcement, Apprehension, and Recovery) on Tuesday, June 16.
When federal investigators intervened, the case proceeded quickly. Marshals in Northern Ohio swiftly acquired intelligence on Younger’s possible whereabouts and forwarded it to their counterparts in the Southern District of Texas. Investigators in Houston located Younger and the missing youngster in less than 24 hours after getting the information.
The infant was securely recovered, and Younger was brought into custody with no additional incident.
Younger remains in detention in Houston until he is extradited to Cuyahoga County, Ohio, to face formal charges.
Reflecting on the speedy turnaround, U.S. Marshal Pete Elliott lauded the smooth collaboration between local and federal agents.
“I would like to commend the efforts and outstanding investigative work of the Maple Height Police Department,” Elliott stated. “Their tenacity to bring criminal charges against this fugitive and their willingness to request our assistance allowed for a safe and speedy recovery of the child.”
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