Police locate mother after three young children are found in shed

PORTLAND, Ore. – Portland police said Friday they have found the mother of three children who were discovered abandoned in a shed.

After a flurry of media reports, Portland police spokesman Lt. Robert King said investigators received a tip from someone who knew the mother. Police are interviewing her, he said.

"The mother of the missing children has been located and we thank everyone who helped with information. We do not need any additional tips," police said in a short press release update.

Police also said they received offers from "across the nation" from people wanting to care for the children.

Police released no more details but they said they are conducting an investigation and will consult with the Multnomah County district attorney's office to determine whether there will be charges filed against the mother.

Police say all the children appear to be younger than 4 years old.

A man called police just before 9:30 a.m. Thursday after he heard their voices in the shed behind his house in the 7900 block of Southeast Rhine Street.

The shed is next to a vacant house. When police spoke to homeless people who were living there, they were told the children had been abandoned on the property by a woman the night before. They said they believed the woman was the children's mother.

KATU News talked to some homeless people near where the children were found. One of them was yelling and not making much sense but did say she was "babysitting" the children. Another homeless man said he didn't know much about the kids.

DHS took protective custody of the children who were checked out by a doctor. A neighbor said the children appeared to be in good condition.

The youngest girl is an infant between 8 and 15 months old and weighs 15 pounds. She has olive skin, short black hair and brown eyes. She also has two front, lower teeth.

Another girl is about 2 years old and weighs 28 pounds. She has long black hair and brown eyes. She also has olive skin.

A boy about 3 years old was also found and he has short black hair, brown eyes and olive skin.

Judy Baxter, who lives across the street from the vacant home, said after the renters moved out of the house she noticed some homeless people hanging around.

She said she never expected to see three young children come out of that shed.

"It was heartbreaking to see those little kids come out. It was sad. It was just sad," she said. "They'd given them stuffed animals, and two of them were walking. And the cop had the other one in his arms."

The owner of the vacant home said Thursday night by phone that he was just at the property fixing it up last week. He said he didn't see anyone on his property at that time.

Another neighbor told KATU News that the home a been the site of problems in the past but was not specific.