Missing toddler returned to her father 5 months after vanishing with her mother

A missing three-year-old girl has been returned to her father after she vanished from a southern Texas resort town over the summer. Rilee Crouch had last been seen in South Padre Island on July 5 when her father Dakota Crouch dropped her off at her mother Lillian Maria Crouch’s home.  The former couple was reportedly in the middle of a custodial battle. Both Rilee and her mother were gone when Crouch returned to pick her up two days later, according to officials.  It has now emerged that Lillian had taken the toddler to Panama as part of a plan to flee to Turkey, Rilee’s paternal grandmother told ValleyCentral. Rilee and Lillian, 29, landed back in Texas on Sunday night, Dec. 29, having been escorted by US marshals from Panama City. Lillian was arrested at the airport upon arrival for interference with child custody. Meanwhile Rilee has since been handed back to her father, South Padre Island spokesperson Angelique Soto told KRGV.   Officials have not revealed how the child was tracked down to Panama. The South Padre Island communities held rallies over the summer asking the public for help finding Rilee.  “Wherever you are, Rilee, know that Im fighting for you. I love you, and Im not ever going to give up on you. Im still here, and Ill see you soon,” her father Dakota Crouch told Valley Central in August. Crouch said Lillian’s phone would go straight to voice mail when he tried to reach her, adding that her lawyers in the custody case withdrew because they could not reach her, either.  “This was the third go around of times that she has denied me visitations,” Crouch said.  “She had already been warned by the judge to please stop this and this time it has taken a turn for the worse. She is unable to be located at all.” Crouch said at the time he feared his ex wife and daughter could be in Mexico, before Lillian has dual citizenship.  The post Missing toddler returned to her father 5 months after vanishing with her mother appeared first on Linda Ikeji Blog.