4 Kids Found in ‘Enclosed’ U-Haul Cargo Area During Traffic Stop, 2 Arrested

A routine traffic stop in central Illinois turned into a child welfare investigation after deputies discovered more than they expected inside a moving truck.

Law&Crime reported on Tuesday, September 1, that Roy Hamel II and Sabrina McKinney were arrested on Thursday, August 27, during a stop in Pontiac, Illinois.

The Livingston County Sheriff’s Office said a deputy pulled over the U-Haul shortly after 6 p.m. on the northbound Interstate 55 on-ramp. Hamel, who was driving, reportedly told the deputy that the group was relocating from Louisiana to Michigan.

When authorities looked inside the truck, they found four children and two dogs riding in the vehicle’s enclosed cargo area.

Authorities have not released the children’s ages or additional details about their conditions.

“The children were taken to a hospital to be evaluated for possible heat-related injuries,” the sheriff’s office said. “The driver and passenger of the U-Haul were transported and released to the Livingston County Jail.”

Authorities released a body camera image showing the cargo area filled with belongings, including storage containers, laundry baskets, bags and clothing, with several children visible among the items and their faces obscured.

Hamel and McKinney were each arrested on six counts of endangering the life or health of a child. Hamel also faces an allegation of driving with a suspended license. 

WCIA reported Monday, August 31, that court records did not yet reflect formal charges against either person, and the sheriff’s office noted that all involved are presumed innocent until proven guilty.