Dad kidnaps sons after losing custody, then 3-year-old dies in crash, MO cops say
A father kidnapped his two sons after the children’s mother was given full custody, then he crashed and killed his 3-year-old son, Missouri officials said.
The 43-year-old dad has now been sentenced to 9 years in prison after he entered into an Alford plea for two counts of child abduction and one count of involuntary manslaughter, according to Morgan County court documents filed June 23.
McClatchy News is not naming the dad to protect the identity of the children. His attorney did not immediately respond to McClatchy News’ request for comment June 24.
He took his 7-year-old and 3-year-old sons from Nebraska to Missouri between January and March 2022, investigators told KMIZ.
He never brought the children back to their mother despite the judge’s order, according to KOMU, and later told police he never received the court order.
The dad was driving with the two boys in Morgan County on Sept. 3, 2022 when he struck a sign and overturned a Jeep, Missouri State Highway Patrol told KOMU. The 3-year-old boy was killed, and the dad and 7-year-old boy were injured, the outlet reported.
The crash report said the toddler was wearing a seat belt, but he was not in an age-appropriate car seat, KY3 reported.
Morgan County is about a 135-mile drive southeast from Kansas City.
This story was originally published June 24, 2025 at 3:07 PM with the headline "Dad kidnaps sons after losing custody, then 3-year-old dies in crash, MO cops say."
