Two parents from North Carolina were detained in Coweta County on Wednesday after authorities said they kidnapped their own children.

Police found the parents with their two children behind a gas station in Grantville, Assistant Police Chief Cliff Schriefer said.

The man was identified as Christopher Stewart Bryant by a Coweta County sheriff’s official. The woman’s identity was not released, and she was never booked into the jail, the official said.

The children were safe and taken to the sheriff’s office.

The parents allegedly took the children from their grandparents, who have legal custody.

FBI agents found the parents by tracking one of their cellphones, and they got a “ping” in Grantville, according to Schriefer. Authorities then called police and the sheriff’s office.

North Carolina authorities have taken over the case, according to the sheriff’s official.

In other news:

Some roads were blocked during the Thursday morning commute, as more rain is expected throughout the day.

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The city of Brookhaven's mayor and City Council last week decided to remove the colored panes of glass from the dome of Brookhaven's new City Centre after residents objected to the brightness of the colors, seen here Friday, June 27, 2025. (Reed Williams/AJC)

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