KIAH (TRIEU) and KRISTIN (CHIEU) FIRTH - 2 and 4 yo - Melbourne FL

Friday, November 30, 2012

Missing Family With "Suicide Pact" Due To Autism Costs

MELBOURNE, Florida -- A Florida MISSING CHILD Alert has been issued for Kiah Firth, who was last seen wearing an all pink sundress with flower print and Kristin Firth, who was last seen wearing a dark blue sundress with a belt and a bowtie in the back.

The children were last seen in the 100 block of West University Boulevard in Melbourne, Florida. The children may be in the company of James Firth, last seen wearing a black V-neck sleeveless shirt, black pants and black shoes and Mai Firth, last seen wearing a multicolored flowered dress and a black coat.

The Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) was called to investigate threats James and Mai Firth allegedly made to kill their children and themselves in a “suicide pact” they had agreed to. The family resides in Vietnam and traveled to the United States to obtain treatment for their 4 year-old Autistic daughter Chieu “Kristin” Firth.

Law enforcement says that the “suicide pact” was the result of James and Mai Firth’s frustration that “Kristen’s” Autism is expensive to treat. James and Mai Firth stated they would kill the children and themselves if “the money ran out” or “Kristen” didn’t show improvement during treatment.

Before DCF could shelter the children, James Firth allegedly lied to the DCF investigator about the location of the hotel the family was residing in and then disappeared with the family during the time it took for DCF to locate the correct hotel.

The family was last seen near the Florida Institute of Technology and does not have ties to Melbourne. James Firth has family in Ormond Beach, Florida, and in Michigan and Arizona.

The family may be traveling to San Francisco, California to board an international flight to Vietnam. The family is riding in a silver 2002 Lexus SUV, Florida license plate 612PGW, which is registered to James Firth.

If you have any information regarding the whereabouts of this family, please call the Melbourne Police Department at 321-409-2200, or Crimeline: 1-800-423-TIPS (8477), or the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children: 1-800- THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678).


Name: Kiah Firth
Missing: 11/29/2012
Missing From: Melbourne, FL
County: Brevard
Age: 2
Age Disappeared: 2
Sex: Female
Race: Asian
Hair: Black Eyes: Brown
Height: 1' 08" Weight: 25




Name: Kristin Firth
Missing From: Melbourne, FL
County: Brevard Age: 4
Age Disappeared: 4
Sex: Female
Race: Asian
Hair: Black
Eyes: Brown
Height: 2' 06"
Weight: 35



Name: Mai Firth
Missing From: Melbourne, FL
County: Brevard
Age: 31
Age Disappeared: 31
Sex: Female
Race: Asian
Hair: Black
Eyes: Brown
Height: 5' 03"
Weight: 100



Name: James Firth
Missing From: Melbourne, FL
County: Brevard
Age: 43
Age Disappeared: 43
Sex: Male
Race: White
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Blue
Height: 5' 10"
Weight: 180

http://news.brevardtimes.com/2012/11/missing-family-with-suicide-pact-due-to.html

Family with 'suicide pact' last seen at Florida Tech

By Jerry Hume and Natalie Tolomeo, Team Coverage
Last Updated: Saturday, December 01, 2012, 6:14 PM

MELBOURNE -- Authorities in Brevard County said they are looking for a family of four after they say the parents made a suicide pact and planned to kill their two young children.

Melbourne police said they have received a few leads, but no reported sightings of James and Mai Firth, or their two daughters, 4-year-old Kristen and 2-year-old Kiah.According to police, the family traveled from Vietnam to Brevard County to get help for their 4-year-old, who is autistic.

But police said that if costs became too much, or if treatment didn't work, the parents were prepared to kill Kristen, her younger sister, and then themselves.

"We just want to make sure the children are OK," said Melbourne police Lt. Byron Barnes. "This statement could have been made out of frustration or exacerbation because of the financial burden borne by these parents for taking care of this autistic child. So, we just want to make sure that the children are OK and tend to their well-being."

Police said the family was last seen at the Florida Institute of Technology, in Melbourne, most likely to visit the Scott Center for Autism Treatment.

A spokeswoman with Florida Tech said she could not comment on whether the family sought treatment at the Scott Center, but added parents from around the world do come to FIT to get help for their children.

The Florida Department of Children and Families said they made contact with the Firths earlier in the week after receiving reports of the alleged suicide pact.

DCF spokeswoman Carrie Hoeppner said field workers "actually made face-to-face contact, so we have seen the children."

"We saw them on Wednesday," Hoeppner added. "We were able to assess their physical condition. I believe that, at the time, they were physically OK. But during the process of that investigation, they did flee from Child Protection officials."

Melbourne police said they believe the family could be making their way to California, and ultimately back to Vietnam.

Still, police and DCF said all they want to do right now is make sure Kristen and Kiah are safe.

Police explained an Amber Alert was not issued in this case, because the children were not technically abducted.

After investigators visited several hotels, they have not been able to locate the family but are asking for any help from the public.

Police said James Firth has family in Ormond Beach, as well as Michigan and Arizona.

Mai Firth is of Asian descent, and was last seen wearing a multicolored flower dress and a black coat. James Firth is a white male with brown hair and blue eyes. He was last seen dressed all in black.

Both daughters girls are of Asian descent, with black hair and brown eyes. Kiah, 2, was last seen wearing a pink sun dress. Kristin, 4, was wearing a blue sun dress with a bow in the back.

The Firth family was last seen in a silver 2002 Lexus SUV with Florida tag 612-PGW.

http://www.baynews9.com/content/news/baynews9/news/article.html/content/news/articles/cfn/2012/12/1/melbourne_police_sea.html

View Poster Case Handled By: National Center for Missing & Exploited Children

DANG FIRTH (Companion)
Case Type: Family Abduction
DOB: Sep 12, 1981	Sex: Female
Missing Date: Nov 29, 2012	Race: Asian
Age Now: 31	Height: 5'3" (160 cm)
Missing City: MELBOURNE	Weight: 100 lbs (45 kg)
Missing State : FL	Hair Color: Black
Missing Country: United States	Eye Color: Brown
Case Number: NCMC1206908

Firth children found safe in California

Last Updated: Tuesday, December 04, 2012, 9:46 PM


Melbourne police and DCF say Mai (left) and James Firth (right) are accused of threatening
to kill themselves and their children, 2-year-old Kiah (top) and 4-year-old Kristin (bottom)
if they couldn’t get successful treatment of Kristin’s autism.

ORLANDO -- Two young girls who disappeared after DCF began investigating their parents for a possible suicide pact have been found safe in California.

The Florida Dept. of Children and Families confirmed Tuesday night that Kristen and Kiah Firth were found and are now in the custody with social workers.

The girls and their parents, James and Mai Firth, came to Florida to try and get help for daughter Kristen's autism. DCF says they began investigating the family after word that the couple made a suicide pact and planned to kill themsleves and their children if the treatments didn't work.

The family disappeared after giving DCF investigators a false address to do a wellness check.

DCF will take custody of Kristen and Kiah and bring them back to Florida, where and emegrency custody hearing will decide where the girls will live.

James Firth has family in Volusia County.

http://www.cfnews13.com/content/news/cfnews13/news/article.html/content/news/articles/cfn/2012/12/4/firth_children_found.html

'Suicide pact' parents' kids to stay with DCF until Monday


Melbourne police and DCF say Mai (left) and James Firth (right) are accused of
threatening to kill themselves and their children, 2-year-old Kiah (top)
and 4-year-old Kristin (bottom) if they couldn’t get successful
treatment of Kristin’s autism.


Last Updated: Friday, December 07, 2012, 4:12 PM


MELBOURNE -- The two young daughters of a couple whom Melbourne police said threatened to kill their children and themselves as part of a suicide pact will remain in the custody of the Florida Department of Children and Families until the parents return to Florida.

At a hearing Friday in Brevard County, a judge rescheduled a custody hearing for 4-year-old Kristen and
2-year-old Kiah Firth for Monday at 1 p.m. The girls' parents, James and Mai Firth, are expected to be back in Florida at that time.

The family had traveled to Central Florida from Vietnam to seek treatment
for Kristen's autism at the Florida Institute of Technology's Scott Center for Autism Treatment.

Melbourne police said the parents threatened to kill both children and themselves if they could not get
the treatment they needed.

Police said the family then fled across the country, prompting a nationwide alert. The children and their
parents were found safe in California earlier this week.

In court Friday, James Firth's mother had asked the judge for custody of her grandchildren, but the judge denied that request.

James Firth's mother also said she didn't believe her son and his wife had a suicide pact.

www.cfnews13.com/content/news/...html/.../suicide_pact_parents

Custody hearing held for parents who threatened family murder-suicide
Judge recommends mental evaluation, family counseling

UPDATED 1:49 PM EST Jan 04, 2013

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. —The parents of two young girls that investigators said threatened suicide and fled the area with their children were back in court Friday.

ames and Mai Firth are trying to regain custody of their children, 4-year-old Kristin Firth and 2-year-old Kiah Firth, after the state placed them with a foster family last month.

Judge Jeffrey Mahl told the couple they had to agree to a psychiatric evaluation, which has been completed, family counseling, parenting classes and to provide stable housing and income for the children.

"But it's still most important to be reunited with our children as quickly as possible," James Firth told the judge.

The judge was optimistic that the Firths could regain custody of their children in the future. The couple are currently allowed eight hours of supervised visitation with the girls a week.

The Firth's traveled to central Florida from Vietnam to get treatment for Kristin, who is autistic. Officials said they made statements indicating if the treatment did not work or they ran out of money they would kill the girls and commit suicide.

The Firths' attorney said the threats of a suicide pact is a big misunderstanding and that the parents are not a danger.

When police went looking for the family, they were not at the hotel where they claimed to be living.

Authorities finally tracked them to California, where the Department of Children and Families took custody of the girls.

Kristin's autism treatments will continue at the Scott Center for Autism at Florida Institute of Technology. The Firths will observe the treatments and receive training on how to help Kristin live with her condition.

Read more: http://www.wesh.com/news/central-florida/brevard-county/Custody-hearing-held-for-parents-who-threatened-family-murder-suicide/-/11788124/18012428/-/g0nvun/-/index.html#ixzz2HJf8HOeF