Mom, baby in DCF custody after fleeing family facility
Trek led from Newburyport to Springfield
A 4-month-old baby taken by his mother from a family facility in Newburyport has been returned to state custody, while the teen mom was picked up separately last night, state police said.
Jacob Van Voorhis was turned over to the Department of Children and Families in Springfield.
The infant was brought to the DCF office unharmed by a member of mother Shantel Van Voorhis’ biological family, police said.
“We’re thankful that Jacob is safe and that the family members did the right thing by contacting DCF upon his return,” Newburyport police Marshal Mark Murray said.
The missing teen mother was found safe last night in Springfield after a statewide search, police said.
A spokesman for the Newburyport police said Shantel Van Voorhis, 15, is in DCF custody, days after fleeing a residential program with her infant son.
Van Voorhis has ties to Springfield and Holyoke, which led police to believe she was in that area.
State police had found the gray Honda CR-V associated with the missing pair. That car was found at an address connected to Shantel’s family, police said.
The pair was being sought after Shantel took Jacob from DARE Family Services in Newburyport, where they were both residing, police said.
They left the facility at 2:25 a.m. Monday, prompting the search.
Jacob Van Voorhis was in legal custody of DCF and Shantel was being allowed to live with him when the pair went missing, police said.