Lake Geneva woman, children located in Georgia

Mom arrested, dad retrieving kids from Savannah

By Vicky Wedig

Staff Writer

A Lake Geneva woman and her kids were found in Savannah, Ga., Tuesday morning after a person there recognized them from photos on a press release police issued Monday.

“When we put it out to media last night, we got a citizen tip of someone who saw them in Savannah,” said Lake Geneva police Lt. Ed Gritzner said Tuesday morning.

Gritzner said the press release, which included photos of the woman and her three sons, circulated nationwide through social media and online news sites.

Michalene Melges, 40, and her children Hans, 14, Max, 12, and Buddy, 10, were found at a vacation rental in Savannah, and Melges was arrested and remained in custody Tuesday afternoon.

She was charged Tuesday in Walworth County Circuit Court with three counts each of interfering with child custody and contributing to truancy and disorderly conduct.

Gritzner said Melges, who was divorced from her husband, Hans Melges, in January, will not say whether she was trying to break away from her ex-husband with their children.

“She’s being very limited in her information,” Gritzner said. “At this time, she’s not leading on to why.”

Gritzner said local law enforcement have requested Melges’ extradition from Georgia to Wisconsin to face charges in Walworth County.

The three children were with authorities in Savannah as of Tuesday afternoon, and Hans Melges and other family members were en route to Georgia to retrieve them, Gritzner said.

The full story can be found in the print editions of this week’s newspapers.