MISSOULA, Mont. – The mother of two young Washington children abducted by their father pleaded with her ex-husband Thursday to return the kids unharmed.
"Please, bring the kids home or drop them off somewhere where there's people," Joelle Remillard said during an interview with FOX News on Thursday. "He just wants to see the kids, I guess, but he's going about it in a way, a scary way."
John Baugher, who is described as having mental problems, abducted Remi Baugher, 4, and Lars Baugher, 2, from Washington state last week. Remillard has custody of the children; Baugher is accused of failing to return the children to her after a visit.
Remillard filed a complaint last year, alleging that Baugher had sexually molested Remi, their daughter.
"She just mentioned that her father tried to touch her, and then we kind of went from there and I didn't know really what to do," Remillard said, adding that she then filed a complaint that led to his regular weekend visitations being cut off completely.
Baugher and the children were captured by surveillance cameras at a fast-food restaurant in Missoula, Mont., according to the FBI and local police.
The video showed Remi and Lars playing in an indoor jungle gym at a McDonald's restaurant Wednesday at 6:30 a.m. The footage showed the children with shorter, darker hair than when they disappeared. Remi is dressed to look like a boy. The man with them, believed to be John Baugher, had several days' growth of beard.
Federal agents told KPAX that an unnamed woman seen in the surveillance video with the children is an "acquaintance" who is no longer traveling with the three. FBI agents said she is no longer in Missoula, and they are continuing their investigation with her. Local police told FOXNews.com they have no information on who the woman is.
The three were also caught on video at a Ross clothing store in Missoula, Missoula County Sheriff Mike McMeekin told FOXNews.com on Thursday. They bought black shoes with orange stripes for Lars, among other items, at that store.
McMeekin said officials also received a "pretty well confirmed report" that Baugher was at an area beauty supply house, where he apparently bought the supplies to dye his children's hair.
When asked if officials were sure the individuals on the surveillance videos were in fact the missing family, McMeekin told FOXNews.com: "Yup, no doubt about it."
Remillard also said that despite the changes in their physical appearances, she is sure the people on the tapes are her ex-husband and her children, especially the images of Remi.
"Even though with the shaved head, she's such a feminine, bouncy little girl, there's no mistaking she's a girl, it's very obvious," Remillard said.
Capt. Dan Aycock of the Walla Walla, Wash., Police Department said officials are distributing the video stills of the children throughout the region.
"I think with the showing of those in as many places as we can throughout the western United States here, it will help us make some identity and probably increase the potential of getting some calls on them," Aycock told FOX News on Thursday. "We haven't received anything so far as valuable tips this morning but it's something we're hoping for at this time."
The FBI said an ATM card belonging to Baugher was used at an ATM near the Missoula airport.
KPAX reported that police say there is no sign that Baugher has left the Missoula area with the children.
Click here to read the full KPAX story.
Baugher, 34, was charged Monday in Washington state with two counts of first-degree custodial interference. An arrest warrant was issued with bail set at $100,000.
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