VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Court documents obtained by 13News Now reveal previous warning signs about Dana Plummer, the man who allegedly abducted three children from a Virginia Beach home and led state police on a chase surrounding suburban Washington D.C.
On August 15, Virginia State Police issued an Amber Alert before 2 a.m. for three missing children: 5-year-old Zayir Plummer, 7-year-old Zayin Plummer and Zariyah Plummer, a 16-month-old. A citizen spotted them in northern Virginia after recognizing Plummer's temporary license plate.
Plummer was eventually apprehended by authorities, and Zariyah Plummer died at the Children's National Hospital in Washington, D.C.
Plummer now faces charges of malicious wounding, parental abduction, contributing to the delinquency of a minor and domestic abuse. However, court records reveal several significant family developments in the months and years prior.
Emergency Substantial Risk Order and Red Flag amendment, Spring 2024
This March, officers trained in crisis interview with the Virginia Beach Police Department observed Plummer at a Virginia Beach restaurant with two of his children. There, he surrendered a shotgun he was concealing in his pants, which he said he was holding because he believed he was "in danger."
The concern stems from a belief his phone and computer were hacked, and someone was "actively living in his attic, spying on him."
Officers found no evidence to substantiate these claims.
The risk order goes on to say the responding officer believed Plummer exhibited signs of paranoid schizophrenia, and "seemed to be going through a crisis."
He gave officers consent to take several weapons from his car, including two loaded rifles and a pistol in addition to the shotgun.
On April 22, Plummer agreed to transfer custody of his firearms "to relative as directed by police officer."
It adds that he understands the Virginia Beach Police Department "only holds them for 90 days."
He was active duty military at the time the document was processed.
Decree of Divorce, June 2022
A decree of divorce dated more than two years ago from June 2022 reveals Plummer separated from his wife of roughly four years.
The documents confirm him and his then-separated spouse are the parents of Zayir and Zayin, two of the children abducted Thursday morning. It also reads that both Plummer and the mother are active duty military at the time of the divorce. They had been living separately for more than a year.