Adalyn Jean Burkett, 18, of Callaway, Bay County, Florida, United States was friends with Breanna Leach, 23, of Panama City, Bay County. The latter is Tina Leach‘s daughter and Aleia Leach‘s sister.
On June 23, 2023, Burkett was was supposed to be babysitting Breanna’s children DeKarsen Middleton, 2, and Delyla Middleton, 1, overnight. Breanna allowed Burkett to use her car, a red 1998 Ford Explorer, for the night.
That night, Burkett was accompanied by her boyfriend Marquan L. Edwards, 22, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA. Unbeknownst to Breanna, Burkett and Edwards traveled from Panama City to Milwaukee overnight with DeKarsen and Delyla.
Breanna expected Burkett to return her car on the morning of June 24, 2023. But that morning, the mother contacted the Bay County Sheriff’s Office after finding out that her car, her children and their babysitter were no longer in Florida.
In the evening, an arrest warrant was obtained for Burkett for interference with child custody and grand theft of an automobile. The warrant and other relevant information were handed over to the Milwaukee Police Department and the U.S. Marshal Service in Milwaukee was notified of the investigation.
On June 25, 2023, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement issued a missing child alert for DeKarsen and Delyla. Upon learning of the alert, Burkett and Edwards dropped off both children in a public park near North 28th Street and West Clarke Street in Milwaukee.
At around 6:00 p.m., Milwaukee Police Department officers found DeKarsen and Delyla safe and took them to their police station. Tina and Aleia drove through the night from Florida to Milwaukee.
On June 26, 2023, U.S. Marshals arrested Burkett and Edwards at a residence in Milwaukee. In the afternoon that day, Tina and Aleia were reunited with DeKarsen and Delyla at the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families in Milwaukee.
CONAN Daily 