Md. Woman With Schizophrenia Charged, Police Still Searching For Kids

GERMANTOWN, Md. (WJZ) -- Intense efforts to find two Maryland children whose mother took off with them. Catherine Hoggle has just been criminally charged late Saturday night.

Gigi Barnett reports the community is praying for the children's safe return.

Three-year-old Sarah Hoggle and her two-year-old brother, Jacob, disappeared nearly a week ago.

Montgomery County Police say they were last seen with their mother, 27-year-old Catherine Hoggle, who was missing, too. Late Friday night, Catherine Hoggle turned up after surveillance cameras and witnesses spotted her wandering around stores and streets in Germantown.

Hoggle was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and her children are still missing.

"She's been doing so well and she loves the kids so much," said Catherine Hoggle's father, Randy Hoggle. "That's why we can't imagine anything ever happening to the kids."

"I don't know the family well, but I can only imagine what they must be going through," said parishioner Jan Summers.

This weekend, parishioners at the Darnestown Presbyterian Church in Gaithersburg say they're turning to prayer to help locate the children. Sarah and Jacob were both baptized there.

"I've met the babies and they're sweet and wonderful and I'm frankly terrified and worried and I want to pray," said Sue Gordon.

They have a simple plea.

"To find the babies and to find them well and healthy and to get them back to their family," said Gordon.

Catherine Hoggle has been transported to the Montgomery County Central Processing Unit and has been charged criminally with two counts of child neglect.

Police say they will continue to question Hoggle on the whereabouts of her children. Until they're found, members of the church say they will keep praying.

Investigators say Hoggle told them her children are alive and safe, but she has not yet revealed where they are. Police will continue their search for the children on Sunday.

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