WATERVILLE

Police report no progress in finding 2 missing children

Police worked all night on a case involving the abduction of two Waterville children, allegedly by their mother, but they reported no progress Saturday.

Joslyn Retamozzo, 7, and Joel Retamozzo, 6, both of Waterville, were reported missing about 8:45 p.m. Thursday by their grandmother, who has had court-ordered custody of them for several years, according to police.

“We worked diligently throughout the night,” said Bill Bonney, detective sergeant for the Waterville Police Department.

The woman, BethMarie Retamozzo, 34, has been charged with two counts of Class C criminal restraint by a parent.

Police said they believe there could be a threat to the children’s welfare. They said they suspect Retamozzo left Maine with the children and could be headed to Florida or New York. She is described as being about 5 feet 5 inches tall and weighing 130 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. She was last seen driving a gray Nissan Quest minivan with a New York license plate, ERE2647.

Police have described Joslyn Retamozzo as a black female, 7 years old, 4 feet 6 inches tall and weighing about 80 pounds. Joel Retamozzo is described as a white male, 6 years old, 4 feet tall and weighing about 60 pounds. Police asked that anyone with information about the three to call 911 or the Waterville Police Department at 680-4700.

WINDHAM

Emergency workers extract motorist from car after crash

Emergency crews responded about 5:20 p.m. Saturday to a motor vehicle crash in Windham in which a motorist had become trapped inside the vehicle.

The crash occurred on Pope Road at Windham Center Road, police said.

The motorist was extracted from the wreckage and transported to a nearby hospital, according to a Windham police dispatcher.

No further information was immediately available.

COOPERS MILLS

Big-ticket items stolen from outside fire station

Days before an annual auction to benefit the Coopers Mills’ volunteer fire department, thieves swiped several big-ticket items that were intended to be sold, organizers said.

Firefighter Norman Best said thieves stole two used lawn mowers, a snowblower, a leaf shredder and a water pump that were intended to be auctioned off Saturday. The theft from outside the fire station likely happened Thursday morning, he said.

“Those, at the time, were our big-ticket items. All of these items would have fit in a pickup truck very easily,” he said.

The Lincoln County Sheriff’s office was investigating, he said.

The department is raising money for a new fire station to replace its 100-year-old building. The new facility is expected to cost between $250,000 and $500,000. The fire department has about $120,000 in a building fund and the auctions usually raise $8,000 to $10,000 per year, Best said.

Area businesses – among them Hammond Lumber Co., Hussey’s General Store in Windsor and Home Depot in Augusta – chipped in and donated new items for the auction, Best said.

The “amazing response” will help to offset the loss, he said.

“I think we’re going to do better after this sad affair,” Best said.

– From staff and news services