Child Kidnapped in Cabool Found Safe

A missing child was found safe last Monday afternoon after she was taken from her home by a family member. Pamela Harris, 43, of Cabool has been charged with second degree kidnapping. 

The Missouri State Highway Patrol issued an Endangered Person Advisory for Freya Goodwin, age 4, at 12:23 a.m. on March 21. The child had been missing from her Davis Street residence since 4:49 p.m. on March 20. 

The child was in the care of two older sisters, aged 15 and 21, while their mother was at work, says a probable cause statement filed by Assistant Chief Walter Darter of the Cabool Police Department. Harris, Goodwin’s aunt, was in the home as well, and was believed to be under the influence of an unidentified drug at the time of the events. Harris had been staying at the Davis St. residence for about a week. 

Harris allegedly snuck out the front door with the child while the sisters were in another room. She drove away with the four-year-old child without permission. The younger sister told police Harris was “acting weird like she did whenever she was using drugs.”

Police began their search for Harris and interviewed the accused’s mother and ex-boyfriend. Multiple informants expressed concerns about the accused’s “psychotic” behavior when she is on drugs. Attempts to track Harris’s cell phones were fruitless. 

Harris returned voluntarily to the Davis St. residence on foot at approximately 2:00 a.m. without the child, but told the residents the child was safe and that she would lead them to her. 

The missing girl was located safe although “covered in urine, whimpering and cold” alone in the backseat of Harris’s vehicle. The accused left the four-year-old alone in the backseat of the vehicle where it broke down on Kyle Rd. There were no headlights or heat on in the vehicle.  

The parties returned to the Davis St. residence, where Harris was taken into custody by police. 

In an interview, Harris admitted to taking the child without permission. She admitted to leaving the girl unattended while she got a ride from someone back to town.

Harris is scheduled to be arraigned in Texas County before the Hon. Douglas Gaston on March 29.