In many child kidnapping cases, the first to be suspected are the parents. This is in part because the parents are in such close contact with the child, and may kidnap partially out of love and possession. When couples get divorced, child custody agreements can send parents reeling. One spouse may obtain a restraining order against the other and bar that parent from any contact with the children that he or she loves. Instead of obeying the restraining order, these hurt parents might retaliate with a kidnapping. Other times parents may believe that they have a right over their children and hide or kidnap them for their own personal benefit. Whatever the situation, it seems that parents are always the first suspects questioned in the kidnapping of a child.
Recently, two cousins, ages 8 and 10, were kidnapped on July 13th 2012. They were riding their bikes around their neighborhood when they were taken from in Evansdale. Allegedly, the Morrissey’s, who lost their 10-year-old daughter in the kidnapping, are getting irritated at being questioned so closely. Daniel, the father, told KCCI Des Moines that he has been perturbed by the law enforcement, who insist that he has been withholding information from them. He said he feels as if the police are looking at him as a suspect in the kidnapping of the two girls.
Both Daniel and his wife Misty have criminal records. Misty was just recently released from prison at the end of May after being charged with nine crimes. Her offenses include association with people involved in criminal activity, illegal drug use, and failure to comply with a drug testing. She was also charged for excessive alcohol use. In 1998, the mother had another run in with the law when she was discovered violating the open container statute. One year earlier, she plead guilty to a false report to law enforcement. She spent six days in jail for that crime. Misty was also sentenced to four years in prison back in 2003 when she plead guilty to conspiracy to manufacture and sell methamphetamines. She was later given a shorter sentence of only five months and was supervised for a year after release.
Adding to her list of crimes is alleged involvement in a meth operation established by her boss at BIG Ten Mart in Waterloo, Iowa. She obtained the pseudoephedrine pulls and provided them to her boss so he could manufacture meth. Misty was on probation for this crime when the kidnapping occurred. Daniel’s criminal record involved drug possession intoxicated driving, parole and probation violations, burglary, theft, and interference with official acts.
Friends and family of the couple say that they were separated and were not getting along when the kidnapping occurred. The girls are still being searched for as the police scrutinize their parents. The couple has also been involved in difficult marital conflict. According to ABC News, they were under a restraining order and preparing to file for divorce when their daughter and her cousin disappeared. They are now permitted to spend time together provided they don’t end up in a fight. When interrogated, Daniel Morrissey told the police to go away because he needed sleep. The law enforcement asked how he expected to sleep at a time like this, to which he waved them away. He says that he is trying to keep his emotions in check and stay rational during this hardship.
Misty and Daniel have both cooperated fully with the investigation. If you have been suspected of a kidnapping involving your children, you are probably devastated. The pain of not knowing where your children are or what is happening to them is already so much to bear, and now you have to deal with the fact that police believe you may be guilty. If you have a past criminal record and were in marital discord with or have divorced from your spouse, then you may appear as a prime suspect in the kidnapping case. You need to contact a local criminal defense attorney to help prove your innocence, so that you can aid the police in their search for your children and eliminate the threat of prison and punishment.
