Fairhope father arrested for allegedly kidnapping children from Pea Ridge school

Emanuel Martinez Pose

PACE — Authorities arrested Emanuel Martinez Pose, 35, of Fairhope, Ala., for allegedly kidnapping his six-year-old daughter and eight-year-old son March 8 from Pea Ridge Elementary School. They found him and the children at the PARA Ball Park in Pace and took him into custody without incident Santa Rosa County Sheriff Bob Johnson said during a March 9 press conference.

"The mother had stated to us that he had said in the past if he couldn't have the kids that no one can, so that put us in emergency mode," Johnson said.

The department got a warrant and received assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service and Florida Department of Law Enforcement. They were ready to issue an Amber Alert, Johnson said, when authorities found Pose.

"I want to say first that the U.S. Marshals Service and FDLE assisted us in several different aspects," Johnson said. "Everybody dropped what they were doing and they found them really quickly."

According to the Domestic Violence Injunction against Pose, he was not to come within 500 feet of Pea Ridge Elementary School or Covenant Church of God. It also gives him no custody of the children.

The boy sent a text message to his mother, Stephanie Pose, according to the report. It said his father checked him out of school and they would get something to eat before seeing his mother at a 5:30 p.m. game at the PARA Ball Park.

Stephanie said Emanuel sent her 121 texts within the past week even after telling him to stop and sent messages to the children as well. "If I can’t have the kids, no one can," he allegedly told Stephanie, the report said.

Emanuel was listed on the children’s contact information at Pea Ridge Elementary as being able to check out the children, the school said, according to the report. There was also no red sticker indicating any related court paperwork associated with them either. Though because the computer system was down, the school allowed Emanuel to sign the children out.

"We are aware of an incident at Pea Ridge and it is under review right now," Santa Rosa County School District Superintendent Tim Wyrosdick said.

Emanuel is in jail without bond on the charges of felony contempt of court for violating the injunction, misdemeanor aggravated stalking and felony kidnapping.

This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Fairhope father arrested for allegedly kidnapping children from Pea Ridge school