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‘Nothing’s going to stop me from keeping going’ ‘Nothing’s going to stop me from keeping going’
(35 minutes later)
Wendy Xiao was standing behind the counter at Cafe Hong Kong in Germantown, Md., this week when a man walked in. He handed her a flier with photographs of three missing people: a pretty woman flanked by two toddlers — a girl wearing a tank top and a boy with a toothy grin.Wendy Xiao was standing behind the counter at Cafe Hong Kong in Germantown, Md., this week when a man walked in. He handed her a flier with photographs of three missing people: a pretty woman flanked by two toddlers — a girl wearing a tank top and a boy with a toothy grin.
“That’s my son and daughter,” he said. “He’s 2. She’s 3. That’s their mom. She has mental issues.”“That’s my son and daughter,” he said. “He’s 2. She’s 3. That’s their mom. She has mental issues.”
He asked if he could hang the flier. Tape it to the inside of the glass window, Xiao said, her eyes tearing up. That would protect it from the rain.He asked if he could hang the flier. Tape it to the inside of the glass window, Xiao said, her eyes tearing up. That would protect it from the rain.
She asked how long they’d been gone.She asked how long they’d been gone.
For several days.For several days.
“I’ve been just looking for them ever since,” the man said. “I’m going to find them.”“I’ve been just looking for them ever since,” the man said. “I’m going to find them.”
He walked out, heading to the next business with his stack of fliers. Something about them bothered Xiao. They were in black-and-white, and it was hard to picture the children. She grabbed all the money she had — $300 — tracked the man down on the sidewalk and handed it to him.He walked out, heading to the next business with his stack of fliers. Something about them bothered Xiao. They were in black-and-white, and it was hard to picture the children. She grabbed all the money she had — $300 — tracked the man down on the sidewalk and handed it to him.
“Maybe you can make color copies,” she said.“Maybe you can make color copies,” she said.
Troy Turner, 41, the children’s father and longtime boyfriend of their mother, thanked Xiao again and again. Then he kept moving, relentlessly upbeat, doing whatever he could to help in the search for his kids, Jacob and Sarah, as well as their mother, Catherine Hoggle, 27, who has been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia.Troy Turner, 41, the children’s father and longtime boyfriend of their mother, thanked Xiao again and again. Then he kept moving, relentlessly upbeat, doing whatever he could to help in the search for his kids, Jacob and Sarah, as well as their mother, Catherine Hoggle, 27, who has been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia.
In and around the Montgomery County communities of Germantown and Clarksburg, Turner and his friends have passed out more than 2,000 fliers. He has spent hours telling detectives about Hoggle’s habits and behaviors. On Thursday evening, he visited a cab company, spreading the word to drivers about his missing family. In and around the Montgomery County communities of Germantown and Clarksburg, Turner and his friends have distributed more than 2,000 fliers. He has spent hours telling detectives about Hoggle’s habits and behaviors. On Thursday evening, he visited a cab company, spreading the word to drivers about his missing family.
He tries not to slow down, tries not to dwell on the danger his children could be in.He tries not to slow down, tries not to dwell on the danger his children could be in.
“I don’t have a choice,” Turner said. Otherwise, “I will completely break down.”“I don’t have a choice,” Turner said. Otherwise, “I will completely break down.”
One of his hopes: that Hoggle is with the children and, in her mind, has concluded that she cannot tell anyone where they are.One of his hopes: that Hoggle is with the children and, in her mind, has concluded that she cannot tell anyone where they are.
“She’s probably thinking she’s protecting them from something,” Turner said.“She’s probably thinking she’s protecting them from something,” Turner said.
Until Sunday, Turner and Hoggle had fashioned a challenging but mostly happy life. They lived with their three children in an apartment in Clarksburg. Turner worked a late shift selling timeshares. In the mornings, he would help with the kids and take Hoggle to her day treatment program.Until Sunday, Turner and Hoggle had fashioned a challenging but mostly happy life. They lived with their three children in an apartment in Clarksburg. Turner worked a late shift selling timeshares. In the mornings, he would help with the kids and take Hoggle to her day treatment program.
Turner said Hoggle shares his core value: “Family and kids first.” When Hoggle’s mental illness is under control, Turner said, she is fun to be around. When it’s not, he said, “her thought of what reality is is greatly altered.”Turner said Hoggle shares his core value: “Family and kids first.” When Hoggle’s mental illness is under control, Turner said, she is fun to be around. When it’s not, he said, “her thought of what reality is is greatly altered.”
On Sunday afternoon, while Turner was at work, Hoggle took their three children — Jacob, Sarah and a 5-year-old boy — to her mother’s home nearby. At one point, she left with Jacob to get pizza. She returned to her mother’s home without him and told family members there that she had left him at a friend’s house for a play date. She eventually returned to her apartment with Sarah and the older boy but not Jacob, according to police records. Detectives would later learn that Jacob had not been at his friend’s home.On Sunday afternoon, while Turner was at work, Hoggle took their three children — Jacob, Sarah and a 5-year-old boy — to her mother’s home nearby. At one point, she left with Jacob to get pizza. She returned to her mother’s home without him and told family members there that she had left him at a friend’s house for a play date. She eventually returned to her apartment with Sarah and the older boy but not Jacob, according to police records. Detectives would later learn that Jacob had not been at his friend’s home.
The next morning, after Turner awoke, Hoggle told him that she’d taken Jacob and Sarah to a trial day-care program. Turner took the older boy to his school bus stop.The next morning, after Turner awoke, Hoggle told him that she’d taken Jacob and Sarah to a trial day-care program. Turner took the older boy to his school bus stop.
Within hours, though, Hoggle couldn’t give Turner a clear answer of which day-care center she’d gone to, and Turner told her that they should go to the police. On the way, Hoggle said she wanted to stop at a Chick-fil-A for a drink. She managed to slip out the back door.Within hours, though, Hoggle couldn’t give Turner a clear answer of which day-care center she’d gone to, and Turner told her that they should go to the police. On the way, Hoggle said she wanted to stop at a Chick-fil-A for a drink. She managed to slip out the back door.
Detectives at first hoped that Hoggle had left the children with a friend and that she, too, was safe. But by Thursday evening, no one had come forward.Detectives at first hoped that Hoggle had left the children with a friend and that she, too, was safe. But by Thursday evening, no one had come forward.
“We’re going 72 hours,” Capt. Darren Francke, commander of the Montgomery Police Department’s major crimes division, said Thursday morning. “It’s getting more and more grave as we go on.”“We’re going 72 hours,” Capt. Darren Francke, commander of the Montgomery Police Department’s major crimes division, said Thursday morning. “It’s getting more and more grave as we go on.”
Hoggle’s parents and other family members also are devastated.Hoggle’s parents and other family members also are devastated.
“To do this, she’s got to not be on medication,” her father, Randy Hoggle, said Thursday.“To do this, she’s got to not be on medication,” her father, Randy Hoggle, said Thursday.
He added that his daughter has long had mental-health challenges. “It’s been a constant struggle for her. She worked really hard.”He added that his daughter has long had mental-health challenges. “It’s been a constant struggle for her. She worked really hard.”
She also cares greatly for her kids. “She’s very protective of her children,” he said. Speaking at an earlier news conference, he made an impassioned plea for her to come home. Her father has seen how she cares for her kids. “She’s very protective of her children,” he said. Speaking at an earlier news conference, he made an impassioned plea for her to come home.
“We know, Catherine, this is not you, and this is not who you’re about and what you do,” he said, breaking down, and saying her kids needed to have a chance to grow up and have a happy childhood. “The first kiss. The first homecoming. The last prom, and a full life, and we want you to do that as well. Everyone here is committed to — if you just come and get help — we’ll all help you.”“We know, Catherine, this is not you, and this is not who you’re about and what you do,” he said, breaking down, and saying her kids needed to have a chance to grow up and have a happy childhood. “The first kiss. The first homecoming. The last prom, and a full life, and we want you to do that as well. Everyone here is committed to — if you just come and get help — we’ll all help you.”
Turner said he and Hoggle met about seven years ago while working at the Greene Turtle bar— she as a waitress and he as a bouncer. They stayed together for years and talked about marriage. “We had a great relationship,” Turner said.Turner said he and Hoggle met about seven years ago while working at the Greene Turtle bar— she as a waitress and he as a bouncer. They stayed together for years and talked about marriage. “We had a great relationship,” Turner said.
Melvin McCarley, one of Turner’s buddies who has helped with the fliers, was in a car with Turner and Hoggle about two weeks ago when the couple talked about taking a vacation — away from the stresses of everyday life. “I don’t know what we’re going to do,” Turner told his girlfriend, McCarley recalled, “but we’re going to get away.”Melvin McCarley, one of Turner’s buddies who has helped with the fliers, was in a car with Turner and Hoggle about two weeks ago when the couple talked about taking a vacation — away from the stresses of everyday life. “I don’t know what we’re going to do,” Turner told his girlfriend, McCarley recalled, “but we’re going to get away.”
In the final few hours that Turner last saw Hoggle, she was showing signs of confusion. It was the day she told him that Jacob and Sarah were at a day-care, but she couldn’t tell him the name of it, or where it was.In the final few hours that Turner last saw Hoggle, she was showing signs of confusion. It was the day she told him that Jacob and Sarah were at a day-care, but she couldn’t tell him the name of it, or where it was.
They drove around for hours, looking for it, before Turner said they had to go the police and before Hoggle walked out of the Chick-fil-A. Detectives would later obtain video surveillance from a nearby building showing Hoggle inside at 7:15 p.m. Monday and 4:30 a.m. Tuesday; they think she may have spent the night there. That’s the last time she was spotted.They drove around for hours, looking for it, before Turner said they had to go the police and before Hoggle walked out of the Chick-fil-A. Detectives would later obtain video surveillance from a nearby building showing Hoggle inside at 7:15 p.m. Monday and 4:30 a.m. Tuesday; they think she may have spent the night there. That’s the last time she was spotted.
Turner, now several days into his own search, says he thinks that he can find his family.Turner, now several days into his own search, says he thinks that he can find his family.
“Nothing’s going to stop me from keeping going,” he said.“Nothing’s going to stop me from keeping going,” he said.
Victoria St. Martin contributed to this report.Victoria St. Martin contributed to this report.
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