

On Tuesday (Sept. 26), Coeur d’Alene (Idaho) sheriffs contacted Joel Long, Angelina Hinson, and her sons, Dexter and Braxton in an unrelated non-criminal contact. Dexter and Braxton were taken into protective custody. No arrests were made but criminal investigations are active.
The Vancouver Police Department (VPD) is asking for assistance from members of the community with efforts to locate two children involved in a familial child abduction.
Angelina Hinson is the mother of seven-year-old Dexter and 15-year-old Braxton Hinson. As of September 2023, lawful custody of Angelina’s children had been awarded entirely to the children’s father. Angelina has no claim to guardianship of either child and a protection order is in place barring her from contacting them.



On Friday (Sept. 15), it’s believed Angelina abducted her two children from outside their school in Vancouver. She was aided by her romantic partner, Joel Long. There is now an open Kidnapping and Custodial Interference investigation into Joel Long and Angelina Hinson (respectively) and both children are considered missing persons.
There is currently no articulable risk of imminent danger to either child, or to the community, but efforts are underway to locate them. They may be associated with a Chevy Sonic bearing WA plate BXZ0985 or a dark gray Hyundai Elantra with dealer temporary plates.
The VPD provided photographs depicting the children in the clothing from the day of their abduction. Angelina and Joel’s clothing is unknown, but they are likely making efforts to avoid detection.
Angelina June Hinson is a 40-year-old white female, 5-foot-3 and 170 pounds with brown hair/bleached blonde hair.
Joel Matthew Long is a 39-year-old white male, 5-foot-10 and 180 pounds with brown hair and blue eyes.
Dexter Hinson is a seven-year-old white male, approximately 4-foot-6 with green eyes and brown hair
Braxton Hinson is a 15-year-old white male, approximately 5-foot-4 with brown eyes and brown hair
If you have any information related to Braxton and Dexter’s whereabouts, contact Det. Jason Nicholson (Jason.nicholson@cityofvancouver.us) or Sgt. Julie Ballou (Julie.ballou@cityofvancouver.us).
Information provided by Vancouver Police Department.
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