FAYETTE COUNTY — A 34-year-old Farina man appeared in Fayette County Court Thursday for a preliminary hearing in a case charging him with the July kidnapping of his 9-year-old son.

Darrel Moulton (Source: FCSO)
Darrel Moulton
(Source: FCSO)

According to testimony given in court Thursday, Darrel K. Moulton had contacted the Vandalia Police Department to report he was having problems getting his children from their relative in Vandalia.

However, when police contacted the children’s mother, she told officers Moulton did not have custodial rights to the children.

The defendant is then alleged to have attempted to take all three children, but the older two managed to get away. Moulton was reportedly able to grab the 9-year-old son, however, and the two became the focus of an Amber Alert.

Police say Moulton’s cell phone was first pinged in the Centralia area, but was subsequently pinged again at Moulton’s home in Fayette County.

Fayette County Sheriff’s deputies went to the home where Moulton released the child without incident and surrendered to law enforcement.

He was ultimately transported to the Fayette County Jail, where he has remained since his June 30, arrest with bail set at $500,000. He is next scheduled in court October 4 for a status hearing.