I see you may be right after re-reading the story...either way this sounds messed up.

sounds more like a divorce or seperation & the husbands used dcf to harass the wives 1st & when they went on vacation to avoid having to deal with those incompetent people,, the husbands used the sheriff's office to further harass the women.. as for making anyone pay,, the women didn't request anyone to call the law,, the husbands did !!! adults over legal age don't need anyone's permission to simply pick up & hit the road !!! the law needs a further look at the 2 marriages & a real close look at the husbands,, & d.c.f. needs to realize when it is being used to harrass a person, or persons !!!

Found in North Carolina, sounds messed up. they should be made to pay for all the worry to their husbands/family and police time they used up trying to find them.