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TV show helps find kidnapped Lake Charles kids, 7 and 5, missing since June
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LAKE CHARLES, La. (KLFY) -- Two young boys missing since June have been found safe with the help of a TV show, authorities said.
The two boys, 7-year-old Cohen and 5-year-old Colton Desormeaux had been missing since June from Lake Charles, according to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Investigators with the U.S. Marshals Service and the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's Office said Cohen and Colton disappeared after their mother, Sharlene Desormeaux, failed to exchange the boys with their father after a custodial court hearing in violation of a court order. Officials said she was facing both criminal and civil charges and had lost all parental rights.
Their father, Chase Desormeaux, said that his ex-wife had the boys for a weekend in June 2024 and then failed to return them and absconded instead. On Nov. 18, full permanent custody was granted to the boys’ father.
The case gained national attention last month when Cohen and Colton were highlighted on the television documentary series, "On Patrol: Live," on the streaming service, the REELZ Channel. As part of the show’s partnership with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, the Desormeaux case was featured on the series’ ongoing “Missing” segments on March 1 and March 7, where viewers joined the search via social media.
Deputies with the U.S. Marshals Service said the show helped ramp up their investigation.
“For months, we thought Sharlene Desormeaux might be in Texas where she has connections,” said Nicolas Roselli, Senior Inspector with the U.S.M.S. Southeast Region-New Orleans office. “After the show, we received several promising leads. It was clear that ‘On Patrol: Live’ and nationwide support from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children helped keep the pressure on. This kind of exposure can create unease for fugitives and those assisting them. We were able to zero in on our investigation and ultimately, she reached out to us.”
Investigators said Sharlene Desormeaux agreed to turn herself in on March 28 but did not show up. In the early hours of March 31, she arrived at Houston Methodist Hospital in Houston, seeking medical attention. Police said hospital staff soon realized that she was wanted and immediately alerted law enforcement, officials said.
Sharlene Desormeaux is in custody at the Calcasieu Correctional Center in Lake Charles, and charged with obstruction of a court order. Other charges are pending as the investigation continues, authorities said.
Bond details were not released.