VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — Virginia Beach Police said one of the children abducted out of Virginia Beach Wednesday evening, which prompted an Amber Alert, has died after a pursuit ended in a vehicle crash in Maryland.
Shortly before 8:45 a.m. on Thursday, the Virginia State Police received a call from a motorist traveling north on I-95 in Fairfax County about seeing the suspect vehicle wanted for the Virginia Amber Alert issued on behalf of the Virginia Beach Police Department.
Virginia State Troopers confirmed the vehicle was the black 2024 Honda Passport SUV with Virginia license plate 37550R wanted by Virginia Beach Police in connection with the abduction of three children.
The Amber Alert ended in a vehicle crash on I-495 in Prince George’s County, Maryland State Police confirmed. Shortly before 9 a.m. on Thursday, Maryland State Police received a call for assistance from Virginia State Police requesting assistance in an active Amber Alert.
Maryland State Police said the crash happened on the ramp to Route 5, from the outerloop of I-495. A few minutes after 9 a.m., Dana Plummer’s SUV crossed the Woodrow Wilson Bridge and tried to take the ramp to southbound Route 5/Branch Avenue. The driver of the Honda crashed into two other vehicles, and subsequently overturned, landing in the middle of the ramp.
Because the Honda’s driver was wanted for felony abduction of the young children, Virginia State Police supervision authorized the troopers to continue after the fleeing Honda across the state border and into Maryland.
According to the Virginia Beach Police Department, Plummer, 36, was apprehended at the scene and the three abducted children were located. The 16-month-old, Za’riyah Plummer, was transported to Children’s National Hospital by a helicopter, where she later succumbed to her injuries. The two other children, identified as Zayin Plummer, 7, and Zayir Plummer, 5, were taken by ambulance to the hospital. State Police did not provide an update on their conditions.
Dana Plummer was also taken to the hospital for medical treatment. WAVY confirmed with Maryland State Police on Friday that Plummer remained in the hospital under police watch.
Charges are pending in Maryland. Virginia Beach Police secured warrants for Plummer, charging him with two counts of aggravated malicious wounding, three counts of parental abduction, four counts of contributing to delinquency of a minor, and domestic assault.
Virginia State Police canceled the Amber Alert, saying the children were located.
The only injuries reported were to Dana Plummer and the three children in the vehicle with him, according to state police.
Traffic cam footage shows the police pursuit leading up to the crash on I-495.
Maryland State Police is handling the crash investigation. Virginia State Police is leading the investigation into the police pursuit.
Virginia Beach Mother and Child Stabbed
One adult and one child have serious injuries after being stabbed in the 900 block of Jay Are Court near Virginia Wesleyan University in Virginia Beach Wednesday night.
Virginia Beach Police responded around 8:48 p.m., and discovered two stabbing victims, a 37-year-old woman and 12-year-old girl, mother and daughter. Virginia Beach Police confirmed Dana Plummer is the 12-year-old’s step parent.
Both stabbing victims were taken to a local hospital and are considered to be in stable condition. Ricky LaBlue, VBPD Media and Communications Coordinator, said at the scene that “it’s serious, not critical injuries at the moment, but again, this is very recent, so things are very volatile.”
An Amber Alert was issued after police said Plummer abducted the three other children, all under age 7. Virginia State Police issued the Amber Alert for the three children around 2 a.m.
Dana Plummer left with the children in a black 2024 Honda Passport SUV with Virginia temporary tag 37550R and headed in an unknown direction, police said.
10 On Your Side’s Nick Broadway spoke with a neighbor of Plummer, who said around 6:30 p.m., Plummer knocked on his door and asked to use his cell phone. The neighbor said Plummer told him it was urgent and that his children were in the car.
Neighbors also told WAVY-TV 10 that Plummer and his wife had been separated for about a year, and that he lived just down the road from his wife. The two were said to also have an older daughter. 10 On Your Side later confirmed Plummer’s step daughter is the child that was stabbed.
Court documents reveal that Plummer and his wife were both active duty Navy when they divorced in 2022.
The paperwork also states Plummer’s guns were surrendered as a part of a Red Flag Law, which allows people to petition a judge to temporarily remove firearms from an individual found to be at risk of harming themselves or someone else.
