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Last updated on Thursday, October 31, 2013
(LINTON) - The parents of two Linton children are keeping them close after a man broke into their home while the children were home Monday morning.
The Greene County Daily World reports, 34-year-old Troy White, of Linton, was arrested at the home and taken to the Greene County Jail without incident.
White appeared before Judge Erik Allen Wednesday morning and was formally charged with burglary, two counts of criminal confinement, theft and possession of marijuana.
According to Linton Detective Duane Collenbaugh Billy Smith and his girlfriend Terrie Schaper had left for work and left their children 12-year-old Courtney Zukoski and 11-year-old Chaise Smith, at home to get ready for school.
Terrie thought her daughter was joking when she received a frantic text around 6:40 a.m. saying there was an intruder in the home.
The couple is in the process of remodeling their home, so when a man walked into the young boy's room and asked for a phone he didn't think about it. The boy then went to look for Courtney realizing this was not a friend of the families.
White allegedly told the children he was there to help them because there were men outside their home with guns. White told the children he wanted them to go to their bedroom, but before they did he went to the kitchen, emptied a knife block and handed Chasie a knife.
Courtney texted her mother while the children hid under her bed, explaining there was a man in the house.
Frantic, Schaper headed home from her job at a local daycare. On the way she called Smith, who was on his way to work in Bloomington. Both raced back to the home. Police were also notified on rushing to the home.
Terrie arrived home first and looked in the window and saw the man, but not the children.
While the children were hiding, the man began breaking things in the house.
When police arrived, White let the two children leave and surrendered.
The family is now in the process of cleaning up the mess White left behind and trying to overcome their fears. They have also taken steps to better secure their home.
A steel door will replace the back door allegedly kicked in by White, and security lights are now installed and new locks have been put on doors and windows throughout the home.
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