4 Year Old Jaelyn Rice Missing since July 16, 2009 in Wheelersburg, OH
4 year old Jaelyn Rice has been missing since July 16, 2009. Her mother, Cherish N. Lewis, is presently in Scioto County Jail on contempt charges. Although Jaelyn Rice was missing since July 16, she was not initially listed as missing until her father, Stephen A. Rice, of Tampa, FL issued a missing persons report. It had been treated as a domestic dispute as the mother knows where the child is but refuses to tell authorities.
Prior to the filing, the incident was being treated as a domestic dispute because the mother reportedly knows where the child is but refuses to give the whereabouts of the child to authorities.
The mother, Cherish N. Lewis, of 709 Herms Hill Road, Wheelersburg, is incarcerated in the Scioto County Jail, and according to Scioto County Sheriff Marty V. Donini, has been ordered to remain in jail until she reveals the whereabouts of the child.
- DOB: Aug 8, 2004
- Missing: Jul 16, 2009
- Age Now: 5
- Sex: Female
- Race: White
- Hair: Blonde
- Eyes: Blue
- Height: 3’6″ (107 cm)
- Weight: 40 lbs (18 kg)
- Missing From: WHEELERSBURG, OH
- Jaelyn has a scar on the right side of her forehead. She is missing a tooth on the bottom left side of her mouth. Jaelyn may go by the nickname Jay.
Ohio Missing Children Clearinghouse
After Scioto County Sheriff’s Detective Jodi Conkel contacted the father in Florida, he filed the report, “because he’s the custodial parent, and he did not know where the child was at that point and time.
Donini said, after a discussion, he determined it was not a missing person case because the biological mother knew the child’s whereabouts.
“We brought her (Lewis) out and questioned her and asked if the child is missing. And she basically said no, she knows exactly where the child is,” Donini said. “She’s just not going to tell the judge.”
Donini said his office was in communication with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, and with Scioto County Prosecutor Mark Kuhn, and the decision was made not to enter the child’s name in the registry.
Search for 5-Year-Old Missing Girl Jaelyn Rice Continues
The girl’s mother, Cherish Lewis of Wheelersburg, Ohio, was jailed nearly a month ago for refusing to tell a judge where her daughter was hidden.
The mother’s sister, Jessica Lewis, is now wanted by police for interfering in custody.
Officials with a legal aid group assisting the Lewis family said evidence shows the father is an abusive parent, allegations the rice family denies.
Scioto County Sheriff Marty Donini said this investigation is frustrating because it puts a 5-year-old child in the middle of some adult legal differences.
[...] Catherine Harper Lee, the Executive Director of The Justice League of Ohio discussing the Jaelyn Rice missing persons [...]
Pingback by The Dana Pretzer Show On Scared Monkeys Radio - Sunday, November 1, 2009 - Special Guests: Clint Van Zandt, Steph Watts, Robin Sax and Catherine Harper Lee | Scared Monkeys Missing Persons Site | November 1, 2009
[...] Catherine Harper Lee, the Executive Director of The Justice League of Ohio discussing the Jaelyn Rice missing [...]
Pingback by The Dana Pretzer Show On Scared Monkeys Radio - Sunday, November 1, 2009 - Special Guests: Clint Van Zandt, Steph Watts, Robin Sax and Catherine Harper Lee | Scared Monkeys | November 1, 2009
I know that keeping a child from the other parent is wrong in general. But, as a mother myself, if I knew the father was abusive, and the courts were trying to give him custody or unsupervised visitation, I would do whatever to protect my child from him. I do hope Jaelyn is okay and safe.
Comment by Cynthia M. | December 28, 2009
How do we know that he was abusive? He WAS the custodial parent. If she had concrete evidence that he was abusing their daughter why did SHE not get custody, which the mother usually does unless they are proven to be unfit. It sounds more like she is bitter about losing custody and her sister is going to go to jail too for hiding the child.
Comment by Denise | March 23, 2010
This mother has been given NO CHOICE based on the allegations against the father: he likes forcing the five year old to have sex with him. At least one of the judges appear to have liked the poor baby too because there is an incredible amount of physical, actual, medical, and pyschological evidence against the dad. Cherish Lewis deserves to be applauded and rewarded for protecting her daughter this way! This is high standard that is demanded of mothers, anyway! One day God will free all of the babes.
Countless evil men and the 10% of that number which represents evil women like having sex with children. It is sick and these people should be destroyed as they are so demonized that they cannot stop themselves from stealing a child’s SOUL, over and over again, PAINFULLY.
You probably didn’t like my verbage; how do you think the little kids feel? God alone can help us.
“It is good that a man should wait quietly and hope for the salvation of the LORD.” Psalms
Comment by Betsy J. | January 16, 2011