Two men arrested for kidnapping, child returned safely

PARADISE — On Wednesday evening at approximately 7:15 p.m., the Chippewa County Sheriff Deputies were dispatched to an address in Whitefish Township for a report of a domestic dispute involving a stabbing.

Upon arrival, Deputies learned that two male subjects kidnapped with the use of weapons a 5-year-old boy from the home and fled the scene northbound toward Whitefish Point light house. Prior to taking the child, the male subject had located an adult female outside of the residence and then bound and gagged her before placing her in a vehicle parked outside of the residence. Suspects then gained entry to the residence where a male adult and four children were encountered.

The two male suspects were armed with knives, a chemical spray and blunt objects. The victims were sprayed with the chemical and zip tied, while having their mouths duct taped shut. The two male suspects then began to look for a 5-year-old boy located in the house. While they searched, one of the family members was able to cut themselves loose from the zip ties and stabbed at least one of the suspects.

Having located the 5-year-old, the two male suspects, one of which is the biological father, left the scene in a camouflage pickup.

Law Enforcement Officers responding to the scene began to look for the suspects vehicle, eventually finding it parked in a driveway on Blueberry Lane, approximately 5 miles north of the original venue.

While running surveillance on the house and making contact with occupants, Officers learned that the two suspects and the child had left the truck and were no on food heading East across Lake Superior towards Canada.

Michigan DNR units and Deputies did utilize snowmobiles immediately and began tracking the suspects as they fled on foot through the snow and slush. Approximately 2 miles east of the Lake Superior shoreline, Officers encountered both suspects and the kidnapped child.

The suspects were taken into custody without incident and the child was safely secured. All parties involved were checked for exposure when they arrived back at the main land.

The first suspect was identified as 53-year-old George Stephen Cunningham. He is also identified as a registered sex offender and was currently on tether, but he cut his tether shortly after the incident in an attempt to hide or escape detection.

The second suspect was identified as 68-year-old Jon Scott Stygler.

Both suspects were lodged at the Chippewa County Sheriff Office on a host of charges including but not limited to kidnapping, assault, home invasion, and child endangerment. The investigation continues and additional chargers may be added.

Assisted the Chippewa County Sheriff with the arrest of the suspects and the recovery of the kidnapped child was the Michigan DNR, the MSP, Boarder Patrol, ICE Agents, FBI, and the Whitefish Township EMS team and Chippewa County Central Dispatch.