Ohio Mother Arrested After Allegedly Killing Oldest Son, Kidnapping Her Other Two Children

A mother from Ohio was arrested Wednesday in Louisiana after allegedly killing her oldest son and kidnapping her other two sons while in Mississippi.

Latina Marie Oates, 33, was arrested around 9 a.m. on Wednesday in New Orleans after a missing child advisory was issued by the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation. She was arrested by Lousiana State Police, who found her sons Mark Anthony Oates, 9, and Justin Lamar Oates, 6. Both boys were reported safe.

She was arrested for the alleged kidnapping and killing her oldest son Joshua Oates, 11. Joshua's cause of death has not been announced by authorities.

Oates was last reportedly seen leaving a Hampton Inn in Laurel, Mississippi, on Tuesday with Mark and Justin. The family had left Powell, Ohio, over the weekend, but police were not sure why they were heading south.

Laurel police said they were called to the hotel after Oates had left when the body of a third child was discovered. A murder warrant was issued shortly after by the Laurel Police Department, though Police Chief Tommy Cox refused to comment at the time if it was related to Oates. The body was later identified as Joshua, who arrived with Oates and his brothers but wasn't seen leaving.

Cox said he would release more information in the coming days.

Louisiana State Police issued a Level II Endangered/Missing Child Advisory around 11 p.m. Tuesday on behalf of Laurel police and the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation. This was after investigators learned Oates was allegedly seen in the New Orleans area. She was reportedly seen driving a 2013 White Toyota Camry with Ohio license plates.

Authorities have asked anyone with information about Latina Marie Oates or her kids to immediately contact either the Laurel Police Department, Mississippi Bureau of Investigation or Louisiana State Police.