A tragic incident unfolded as three young children were taken from their Virginia Beach home on Wednesday night. Unfortunately, the situation took a devastating turn on Thursday morning when a multi-vehicle crash occurred in Maryland. Tragically, the youngest child lost their life in the accident. However, there is some solace in knowing that the man responsible for the abduction, which took place during a domestic dispute, has been apprehended by the police.
A tragic incident claimed the life of Zariyah Plummer, a 16-month-old child, near Interstate 495. During a news conference on Thursday, a spokesperson for Maryland State Police reported that the girl had been transported to a children’s hospital.
Two more children, aged 7 and 5, were transported to a children’s hospital via ambulance. According to Maryland state police, both individuals are in stable condition.
The driver, identified as Dana Plummer, 36, was also taken to the hospital.
According to court documents filed in Virginia Beach Circuit Court, it has been revealed that Dana Plummer is the father of the two boys. However, it remains unclear if he is also the father of the girl who tragically passed away, as she shared his last name.
An incident that lasted for approximately 12 hours started around 8:45 p.m. on Wednesday when the children’s mother and a girl were stabbed in the woman’s home. The identities of the victims have not been disclosed by the police, although court documents suggest that the woman involved is Plummer’s former spouse.
Upon arrival at the residence on Jay Are Court, near Virginia Wesleyan University, officers encountered a woman who was visibly injured from stab wounds, as stated in a search warrant affidavit filed on Wednesday night. A girl was discovered upstairs on a bed with “severe” stab wounds, according to the affidavit.
Both individuals were transported to a hospital and are currently in stable condition, as stated in a release by the Virginia Beach police.
An Amber Alert was issued around 2 a.m. on Thursday, providing crucial information about the suspect, Dana Plummer, as well as pictures and descriptions of him and the three children involved. An alert was issued stating that the children were in a situation of “extreme danger” and Plummer was driving a black 2024 Honda Passport SUV with temporary tags.
At approximately 8:45 a.m. on Thursday, a vigilant citizen spotted the vehicle matching the description provided in the Amber Alert and promptly notified the local law enforcement, as stated in the news release by the Virginia Beach police.
According to a release, Virginia State Police made an attempt to pull over Plummer on northbound I-95 in Fairfax County. However, he chose not to comply with the request to stop. Plummer proceeded to drive onto north I-495 in Maryland, where he unfortunately lost control, resulting in a collision with two other vehicles and the overturning of his SUV. According to Maryland State Police, the drivers of the other two vehicles involved in the incident did not sustain any injuries.
Plummer is facing serious charges in Virginia, including aggravated malicious wounding, parental abduction, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and domestic assault. As of Thursday, it remained unclear whether any charges had been filed in Maryland.
Based on the divorce papers filed by Plummer’s ex-wife in July 2022, it is stated that both Plummer and his ex-wife were part of the military and got married in July 2018. According to the filing, they share two children: Zayin, who was born in February 2017, prior to their marriage, and Zayir, who was born a few months after they tied the knot. Zariyah was not yet born when the documents were submitted.
According to the filings, the couple had been separated since May 2021. The agreement specified that there would be no alimony payments and that the wife would be granted ownership of their residence on Campus Drive. The couple has reached an agreement to share custody of the children, allowing the boys to spend alternating weeks with each parent.