(KTTS News) — Three children who were taken from Springfield in March by their non-custodial mother and her wife are now safe.
The U.S. Marshals Office says the children were located at a casino hotel in the Tucson area.
Their non-custodial mother, Brittany Barnes and her wife Ceairah Beverly, are in custody on a felony warrant for kidnapping.
The children were recovered safely and turned over to Arizona Department of
Child Safety pending their return to Missouri.
Press Release
On March 23, 2022, in Springfield, Missouri, 3 minor children were taken from their
home by their non-custodial mother, Brittany Barnes and her wife Ceairah Beverly.
The children, aged 10, 9, and 8 were in the custody of the State of Missouri when it is alleged that their birth mother, Barnes and her wife, Beverly took the children without permission during a scheduled visitation.
Barnes and Beverly then fled the state of Missouri with the children, in a black Infinity XQ60.
On April 8, 2022, an arrest warrant was issued out of Greene County Missouri for Brittany Barnes and Ceairah Beverly charging the couple with Kidnapping and Custodial Interference stemming from the March 23rd incident.
“It is estimated that there are approximately 400,000 missing children in the United States. Many missing children are never reported to authorities. I am pleased that 3 of these vulnerable children were recovered by the U.S. Marshals Service and can now obtain the support and healing they deserve,” said United States Marshal David Gonzales.
On May 5, 2022, investigators from Springfield, Missouri requested U.S. Marshals Service assistance in locating the 3 minor children along with the apprehension of Barnes and Beverly on their felony warrant for kidnapping.
Information was developed that placed Barnes and Beverly in the Tucson,
AZ area.
Deputy Marshals in Arizona collaborated with members of Missouri’s U.S. Marshals Service Midwest Violent Fugitive Task Force, conducting an in-depth investigation into the location of all 5 individuals.
The investigation revealed Barnes and Beverly, along with the children, were likely staying at an unknown hotel in Tucson, AZ.
Several days of surveillance were conducted at possible locations throughout the city of Tucson, however, Barnes, Beverly and the children were not identified at those locations.
On May 13, 2022, task force members in Tucson were able to locate the Infinity SUV at a hotel at Casino Del Sol.
Task force members coordinated with Pascua Yaqui Police to confirm both Barnes and Beverly, along with the children, were staying at the hotel associated with the casino.
At around noon on Friday May 13th, Barnes, Beverly and the children were observed leaving the hotel and getting into the SUV.
Law enforcement was able to contact the fugitives and take them into custody without incident.
The children were recovered safely and turned over to Arizona Department of
Child Safety pending their return to Missouri.
Barnes and Beverly were then transported and booked into the Pima County Adult Detention Center on their felony warrants and are awaiting extradition to Missouri.
