OLATHE, Kan. – Justin Rey appeared in Johnson County court for the first time Friday afternoon since police found him living in a Lenexa U-Haul storage unit with two children under three years old.
Rey is charged with child endangerment because the children had no immediate access to food, diapers, or a place to sleep.
Rey spoke up in court saying, "I'm just going to state this is actually false. I mean, none of this has even happened."
The judge reminded Rey he should probably speak to his lawyer first.
"These are just allegations, not that you're guilty," the judge said.
Rey replied, "Your officers held me from being able to attend to my children," to which the judge reminded him a second time he needs to talk to his attorney.
Police also found a dead woman in the storage unit.
KCPD is taking on the case because they believe she died in Kansas City, Missouri.
They haven't said how she died, who she is, or if she's connected to Rey.
41 Action News talked to a witness who said he and his wife met Rey Tuesday night at a restaurant in Waldo.
They say he had two children with him, one of them a small baby, claiming his wife died in childbirth.
They say Rey mentioned catching a bus to the Lenexa storage facility.
Feeling sorry for the children, the witnesses say they gave them a ride to Lenexa.
41 Action News listened to police dispatch recordings from Tuesday night. It sounded like Rey had told officials the same story about his wife.
"He was claiming that his wife is deceased recently but we don't have any information on that," an officer on the recording said.
It also sounded like U-Haul personnel knew Rey had been to the storage facility before.
"U-Haul just called and advised Justin Rey is back on the property at 9250 Marshall Drive," a dispatcher said.
The recording continues: "Is he trespassed from there?"
Another dispatcher responds, "Negative, I think they're just wanting us to check his welfare and also the welfare of his two small children he had with him."
U-Haul didn't return calls from 41 Action News.
The children are in protective custody.
Rey's bond is set at $1 million dollars. His next court appearance is November 2 at 9 a.m.
