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Montgomery County police build homicide case against mother of missing children | Montgomery County police build homicide case against mother of missing children |
(35 minutes later) | |
Police are building a homicide case against Catherine Hoggle, the 27-year-old Montgomery County woman who went missing for five days and hasn’t told police what happened to her two young children. | Police are building a homicide case against Catherine Hoggle, the 27-year-old Montgomery County woman who went missing for five days and hasn’t told police what happened to her two young children. |
“We keep a ray of hope, but from what she said and what we know about what information that should be provided about them, and that she hasn’t contacted them, this is the natural progression for us,” said Capt. Darren Francke, head of Montgomery police’s major crimes division, at a Monday morning news conference. | “We keep a ray of hope, but from what she said and what we know about what information that should be provided about them, and that she hasn’t contacted them, this is the natural progression for us,” said Capt. Darren Francke, head of Montgomery police’s major crimes division, at a Monday morning news conference. |
Francke said Hoggle, who is diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, was found Friday holding two fliers of her missing children and that she told authorities that the disappearance of her toddlers had been planned. Her children — 2-year-old Jacob and 3-year-old Sarah — were last seen with her a week ago. | Francke said Hoggle, who is diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, was found Friday holding two fliers of her missing children and that she told authorities that the disappearance of her toddlers had been planned. Her children — 2-year-old Jacob and 3-year-old Sarah — were last seen with her a week ago. |
During a lengthy on-and-off police interview, Francke said, Hoggle told investigators that “Jacob and Sarah were together.” At one point, she told authorities that the children were safe with someone, and then she said they were in a safe location. | During a lengthy on-and-off police interview, Francke said, Hoggle told investigators that “Jacob and Sarah were together.” At one point, she told authorities that the children were safe with someone, and then she said they were in a safe location. |
Francke said authorities are seeking charges for parental abduction. He said Hoggle has not had contact with Jacob since Sunday, and police believe she last had contact with Sarah sometime between Sunday evening into early Monday. | Francke said authorities are seeking charges for parental abduction. He said Hoggle has not had contact with Jacob since Sunday, and police believe she last had contact with Sarah sometime between Sunday evening into early Monday. |
Authorities also requested that residents, specifically in the Darnestown and Clarksburg areas, search their property for signs of the toddlers. | Authorities also requested that residents, specifically in the Darnestown and Clarksburg areas, search their property for signs of the toddlers. |
“If you find what we unfortunately believe you will find, we would ask that you back away immediately, do not touch anything, do not go near the site and call 911,” said Francke, who added that residents should pay attention to any foul odors. | “If you find what we unfortunately believe you will find, we would ask that you back away immediately, do not touch anything, do not go near the site and call 911,” said Francke, who added that residents should pay attention to any foul odors. |
Hoggle is due in court at 1 p.m. Monday for a bond review hearing. | Hoggle is due in court at 1 p.m. Monday for a bond review hearing. |
She has been held at the Montgomery jail since Saturday, when police booked her on two counts of child neglect and one count of obstructing and hindering, according to court records. Hoggle was being held on an initial, total bond of $1,020,000, according to online court records. | She has been held at the Montgomery jail since Saturday, when police booked her on two counts of child neglect and one count of obstructing and hindering, according to court records. Hoggle was being held on an initial, total bond of $1,020,000, according to online court records. |
The search for her two children continues. | The search for her two children continues. |
Hoggle is being represented by two Rockville attorneys, David Felsen and Jon Sargent. Felsen said he spoke with his client Saturday at the police station and Sunday at the Montgomery County Correctional Facility. | Hoggle is being represented by two Rockville attorneys, David Felsen and Jon Sargent. Felsen said he spoke with his client Saturday at the police station and Sunday at the Montgomery County Correctional Facility. |
“Everybody agrees that there are significant mental health issues in play,” Felsen said Monday. “We understand the concerns of the police and the family.” | “Everybody agrees that there are significant mental health issues in play,” Felsen said Monday. “We understand the concerns of the police and the family.” |
Detectives questioned Hoggle for much of Saturday, trying to get her to tell them what happened to the children or where she had taken them. The detectives also allowed Hoggle’s father, a mental health therapist she knows and her boyfriend — who is the father of the missing children — to speak with her, according to court records. But none could get her to provide meaningful information, police said in court records. | Detectives questioned Hoggle for much of Saturday, trying to get her to tell them what happened to the children or where she had taken them. The detectives also allowed Hoggle’s father, a mental health therapist she knows and her boyfriend — who is the father of the missing children — to speak with her, according to court records. But none could get her to provide meaningful information, police said in court records. |
According to charging documents, while being questioned early Saturday morning, Catherine Hoggle gave evasive and vague responses, and never told detectives accurate or specific information. At one point, she got in a police car and directed detectives to a playground in Germantown, but that didn’t yield any solid information. | According to charging documents, while being questioned early Saturday morning, Catherine Hoggle gave evasive and vague responses, and never told detectives accurate or specific information. At one point, she got in a police car and directed detectives to a playground in Germantown, but that didn’t yield any solid information. |
Hoggle initially told detectives she had left the children with a friend. | Hoggle initially told detectives she had left the children with a friend. |
“The defendant confessed to taking the children and giving them to an old high school friend she called ‘Erin,’” detectives wrote. “’Erin’ resides in Bethesda, Montgomery County, Maryland. The defendant stated she did not know ‘Erin’s’ last name or address; however she was absolutely OK with her kids staying with ‘Erin’ for these last five days. The defendant stated she did not have any contact with ‘Erin’ or the kids during this period.” | “The defendant confessed to taking the children and giving them to an old high school friend she called ‘Erin,’” detectives wrote. “’Erin’ resides in Bethesda, Montgomery County, Maryland. The defendant stated she did not know ‘Erin’s’ last name or address; however she was absolutely OK with her kids staying with ‘Erin’ for these last five days. The defendant stated she did not have any contact with ‘Erin’ or the kids during this period.” |
Hoggle told detectives she could call ‘Erin’ if she had her cell phone. Detectives brought her the phone, but Hoggle started deleting records from it so detectives took it back. | Hoggle told detectives she could call ‘Erin’ if she had her cell phone. Detectives brought her the phone, but Hoggle started deleting records from it so detectives took it back. |
“At a later part of the interview,” detectives wrote, “the defendant changed her story and stated she would like to take the detectives to the location of the children. The defendant directed the detectives to a playground in Germantown, Montgomery County, Maryland as she was transported there. The defendant then told the detectives that she left her children alone at this playground and she abandoned both children.” | “At a later part of the interview,” detectives wrote, “the defendant changed her story and stated she would like to take the detectives to the location of the children. The defendant directed the detectives to a playground in Germantown, Montgomery County, Maryland as she was transported there. The defendant then told the detectives that she left her children alone at this playground and she abandoned both children.” |
Detectives wrote that Hoggle “knows the location of the missing children; however she continues to obstruct and hinder this investigation and further places them in danger.” | Detectives wrote that Hoggle “knows the location of the missing children; however she continues to obstruct and hinder this investigation and further places them in danger.” |
Family members and police officials have said they believe that Hoggle had stopped taking medication at the time, or perhaps just prior, to when she went missing. It was not clear if police gave Hoggle her medication after she was apprehended. Officials declined to say, citing medical confidentially laws. But it may not have been as simple as giving her one pill. She could have taken more than one medication, and even if the proper mix was provided, it could days to take effect. | |
In support of charges of child neglect, detectives submitted an affidavit stating that there had been “no confirmed contact” with Jacob since 4 p.m., Sept. 7, and “no confirmed contact” with Sarah since 9:30 p.m. that same day. At the time, according to police, family members didn’t know they were missing, because Hoggle had told them that Jacob was at a friend’s house and then said that she’d taken both kids to day care. | |
In an affidavit to support the charges of child neglect, detectives said that she had “engaged in conduct that created a substantial risk of death or serious physical injury to” the children, according to court records. | In an affidavit to support the charges of child neglect, detectives said that she had “engaged in conduct that created a substantial risk of death or serious physical injury to” the children, according to court records. |
Based on a tip to 911 late Friday, a police officer picked up Hoggle along a street in Germantown. She was alone, had the missing persons fliers — with photographs of her, Jacob and Sarah — and tried to flee, according to police. She was wearing the same clothes that she had been wearing when she was reported missing five days earlier. | Based on a tip to 911 late Friday, a police officer picked up Hoggle along a street in Germantown. She was alone, had the missing persons fliers — with photographs of her, Jacob and Sarah — and tried to flee, according to police. She was wearing the same clothes that she had been wearing when she was reported missing five days earlier. |
Get updates on your area delivered via e-mail. | Get updates on your area delivered via e-mail. |