A Pennsylvania father who authorities say was trying to slip into Canada with his two young daughters was stopped Wednesday at the Interstate 89 welcome center in Highgate and is now waiting to be sent back to West Virginia to face criminal charges. Police said the girls, ages 8 and 5, were hungry and covered in urine when they were found, and Vermont child-welfare officials quickly stepped in to take custody. The man was identified as 46-year-old Jacob Burtner of Bedford, Pennsylvania.
Customs and Border Protection agents at the Interstate 89 welcome center detained Burtner after discovering an extraditable warrant from West Virginia, according to the Franklin County Sheriff's Office, which spoke with MyNBC5. That warrant stems from a charge of felony financial exploitation of an elderly or protected person. Burtner was booked into the Northwest State Correctional Facility while the extradition process moves forward. Investigators told the outlet they believe he was trying to avoid prosecution by heading for Canada.
Child-welfare response
State child-welfare authorities were alerted and obtained an emergency care order to take custody of the girls, a temporary step Vermont courts use when there are immediate safety concerns. The Vermont Judiciary explains that an emergency care order transfers short-term custody to the Department for Children and Families while the court prepares for a temporary-care hearing. See the definition in the Vermont Judiciary glossary. The Northwest State Correctional Facility, where Burtner is being held, is listed by the Vermont Department of Corrections as a prison serving the St. Albans area, according to the agency's facility overview on the Vermont DOC site.
Deputies first brought the girls to the Franklin County Sheriff's Office, then took them to a hospital, where medical staff examined them and provided food, according to MyNBC5. Investigators told the outlet they believed Burtner intended to harm the children once they arrived in Canada, although prosecutors have not publicly outlined any formal motive. The Vermont Department for Children and Families took temporary custody of the girls under the emergency order.
The charge and penalties
In West Virginia, Burtner is accused of felony financial exploitation of an elderly or protected person. Under state law, the crime becomes a felony when the amount involved reaches at least $1,000. A felony conviction can bring fines of up to $10,000 and a prison sentence ranging from two to twenty years, and courts may also order restitution to the victim. The details are set out in West Virginia Code §61-2-29b.
What happens next
Burtner remains in custody in Vermont while West Virginia officials work through the extradition process. Once he is transferred, he will face prosecution on the financial exploitation charge there. Law enforcement agencies in Vermont and West Virginia, along with federal authorities, say their investigation is ongoing as they coordinate the next steps in the case.
