Father is charged in cliff threat

PROVO — Attempted-homicide charges were filed Friday against a Provo man who is accused of threatening to drive his car off a cliff at Point of the Mountain — with his three children also in the car.

Christopher Wayne Young, 35, was charged in 4th District Court with three counts of attempted criminal homicide-aggravated murder, a first-degree felony, and three counts of child abuse, a second-degree felony.

"We charged (Young) with child abuse for causing severe emotional harm," said deputy Utah County Attorney Donna Kelly. "This kind of trauma with children will have long-term effects."

On April 18, Young took the children from their mother, Adella Young, for what was supposed to be an hourlong trip to the park, Kelly said.

Soon after leaving, Kelly said, Young reportedly called his estranged wife and told her she would not see the children again. He threatened to hurt himself and them, according to Kelly and police reports filed with the Provo court.

The children also later told officers that their dad threatened to drive off a cliff and take them to heaven to meet Jesus, according to the police report.

Adella Young called the police, and Christopher Young was located within 3 minutes after an Amber Alert was issued.

The car was sitting about 30 feet from the edge of a cliff in Lehi, and Young was revving its motor, when Lehi police officer Alma Owens drove his squad car in front of the car to prevent him from driving off the cliff, Kelly said.

"(Owens) really did save those kids from going off," she said.

The children, ages 6, 4 and 20 months old, were reunited with their mother.

Young told police he had been depressed for years, according to the police report.

When Young appeared before Judge Claudia Laycock Friday morning, he said he was the financial provider for his three children.

Laycock ruled that Young can be appointed a public defender.

Young is still being held without bail at the request of police, who believe he would be a danger to his children if released, according to the report.

He will next appear in court May 4 at 8:30 a.m.

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