Missing Leland man located and charged after deputies allegedly find children living in abandoned car

BRUNSWICK COUNTY, N.C. (WECT) - The Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office has charged 40-year-old Anthony Andrew Snyder with two counts of misdemeanor child abuse after a missing person report on Thursday, May 25.

The initial missing person report said he’d been last seen on Wednesday at around noon prior to the search near the 1400 block of Colin Mitz Rd.

“Snyder, who was avoiding failing to appear in court for probation violation charges, went into a heavily wooded lot close to his residence and was unable to find his way out,” states an announcement from the sheriff’s office.

A BCSO representative says that his two children were found living in the back of an abandoned car with no heat, air or facilities. The arrest warrant says that an electrical fryer was in the vehicle with a chewed up electrical cord plugged into power.

“After a short search, officers were able to locate Snyder in a dense, wooded area. With the assistance of the BCSO SHERP utility task vehicle, the team was able to reach him and pull him out of the woods safely and without harm,” the announcement continues.

He’s currently being held at the Brunswick County Detention Facility, according to the BCSO.