19-year-old man facing seven charges in kidnapping incident

WAUKESHA COUNTY -- Waukesha County officials Tuesday, October 2nd charged 19-year-old Tou Thao of Fond du Lac with seven charges related to the alleged kidnapping of three young children, following a domestic incident. The entire incident spanned three cities (Oshkosh, Fond du Lac and Menomonee Falls), and reportedly ended following a pursuit and crash in Menomonee Falls.

Tou Thao faces the following charges:

Fond du Lac County officials said Monday night, October 1st Thao took three children (ages 3, 4 and 5) from a Fond du Lac residence following an alleged earlier domestic incident with the children’s mother in Oshkosh.

Fond du Lac officials responded to the scene after the children were abducted, and began to initiate the Amber Alert system.

A short time later, Thao's vehicle was located by a Menomonee Falls police officer, who pulled Thao over. According to the criminal complaint in the case, when the officer asked Thao to exit the vehicle, Thao drove away -- giving chase.

The criminal complaint says Thao lost control on Highway 145 near the exit ramp for 124th Street due to speeds near 50-60 mph while negotiating the curve. The report indicates the vehicle slid down a hill and struck a fence, and Thao then ran from the scene.

Officials say two open beer cans were found in the vehicle, along with a woman's wallet and purse, believed to be belonging to the children's mother.

Officers were able to track Thao down and he was taken to the Menomonee Falls Police Department for field sobriety tests. Officers say Thao was uncooperative and had poor performance during the tests. He was eventually taken to the hospital for a blood draw.

The children were taken to Children’s Hospital in Milwaukee for treatment of non-specified injuries.

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