VIRGINIA BEACH, VA – A horrifying sequence of events took place in Virginia Beach on Thursday morning. An alleged abduction turned into a fatal car crash, which claimed the life of a young child, police informed.
The Virginia State Police responded to a stabbing incident Wednesday night, later identified to be linked to “domestic-related” issues. Two victims, one adult female and a female juvenile, were admitted to hospital with multiple stab wounds. Their condition is reported as stable.
The suspect, 36-year-old Dana Plummer, is believed to have stabbed the victims and then fled the scene with his three children. The three abducted children have been identified as 7-year-old Zayin Plummer, 5-year-old Zayir Plummer, and 1-year-old Za’riyah Plummer. Consequently, an AMBER Alert was issued early on Thursday, which has now been canceled.
On receiving a tip from the public, law enforcement personnel were able to identify the suspect’s vehicle and attempted a traffic stop. Instead of stopping, the vehicle sped north into Maryland, only to crash as the driver lost control.
All three abducted children were found at the crash site, but the youngest child, 1-year-old Za’riyah, had suffered severe injuries. She was rushed to a nearby hospital but couldn’t be saved. Plummer, who was apprehended at the crash site, now faces criminal charges. These include two counts of aggravated malicious wounding, three counts of parental abduction, and domestic assault.
Virginia State Police Chief Paul Neudigate expressed his condolences. He called it an “unimaginable tragedy” and offered the VBPD’s deepest sympathies to all affected by the loss.