KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The mother of two missing children is charged with kidnapping them from a relative's home.
Jackson County prosecutors charged Mattina Marshall, 28, of Kansas City, Missouri, Wednesday with two counts of kidnapping.
Avontay Reed, 7, and Kelvontae Cooper, 4, were taken by Marshall on Nov. 9 from an aunt's house in Kansas City, Missouri, according to a police department news release.
Avontay Reed is 4 feet 7 inches tall and weighs 100 pounds. He was last seen wearing a black coat, gray shirt, blue jeans and black shoes.
Kelvontae Cooper is 4 feet 4 inches tall and weighs 90 pounds. He was last seen wearing a black coat, a white shirt with red and black lettering, blue jeans and brown shoes.
Marshall and the children's fathers do not have custody of the children.
A court document states the removal of the children was "necessary because parental mental health conditions, drug use and criminal conduct place the children at risk," the document states.
Marshall and her mother drove off with the children Nov. 9 from the relative's home.
Just two days later, the court document states, Marshall's mother again picked up Marshall and the children.
The mother told police the children were being abused.
She dropped off Marshall and the children at a grocery store at Linwood Boulevard and Prospect Avenue.
Marshall called a detective Nov. 23 and said she did not give statements and the family court order is not valid, the document states.
She also told the detective she didn't understand why she would be having any legal problems for having her children or have anyone's permission to be a mother to her children, according to the court document.
Marshall also claimed again the children had bruises, but didn't file a police report because she doesn't trust the police.
Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department detectives tracked Marshall down Tuesday at a St. Joseph motel.
The children were not with Marshall, and she told police the children were with their father.
Avontay Reed and Kelvontae Cooper are still missing Wednesday night.
Anyone with information should call the 911.
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