Skelton Brothers

Over the Thanksgiving holiday in 2010, nine-year-old Andrew, seven-year-old Alexander, and five-year-old Tanner Skelton were staying with their father, John Skelton, at his home in Morenci, Michigan, a small town near the Ohio border. John and the boys' mother, Tanya Zuvers, were going through a contentious divorce, and John had the boys for the holiday as part of a custody arrangement. He was supposed to return them to their mother on November 26.

When John Skelton did not return the boys, Tanya called police. Officers went to Skelton's home and found him in the garage, having attempted suicide by hanging. He was hospitalized but survived. When questioned, Skelton gave contradictory accounts. He initially said the boys were with a woman named Joann Taylor, but no such person could be found. He later claimed he had given the boys to an underground group called 'United Foster Outreach' that would protect them from their mother. No such organization exists.

An extensive search was conducted throughout Lenawee County, Michigan and across the border into Ohio. Dogs, divers, aerial searches, and hundreds of volunteers covered wide areas. Some of the boys' clothing was found in a wooded area near a river, and evidence suggested Skelton had visited the area. However, the boys themselves were never found.

John Skelton was convicted of unlawful imprisonment and sentenced to 10-15 years in prison. He has consistently refused to reveal the boys' location. He has been periodically questioned by investigators but has not provided useful information. The FBI and Michigan State Police continue to investigate, and the boys' mother has made regular public appeals for information. The Skelton brothers would be in their teens and twenties today.