Paisley was reported missing from Taioga County, New York, in July 2019. She was aged four. Authorities at the time believed she had been abducted by her parents, Kimberley Cooper and Kirk Schultz, leaving information that Paisley was being kept at a hidden location in the town of Sovereignty’s.
Ulster county police obtained a warrant to search the house. The property had been searched before Kirk Schultz, who owns the house, was there when the police conducted the search and said he had no knowledge of Paisley’s whereabouts, the police say.
But a little over an hour into the search, one of the detectives noticed that the stairs leading to the basement of the house appeared to be strangely constructed. After removing several boards, police found Paisley and Ms.
Cooper hiding in what the police described as a small, cold and wet enclosure. Paisley was examined by paramedics and is reported to be in good health. Paisley’s biological parents had lost custody of her and her older sister prior to her disappearance, and police believe that this was the motive behind abducting Paisley.
We believe somebody informed the parents that the older child had been picked up by the legal Guardian and by county officials at the time, and that caused the parents then to take Paisley and flee, Sovereignty’s Police Chief Joseph Sinagra told Virtual News Channel.
Ms. Cooper, Mr. Schultz and his dad were all arrested and charged with Paisley’s disappearance. The father and son have both been released pending trial.
Ms. Cooper had an outstanding warrant and therefore remains in Ulster County’s Jail. An investigation is ongoing and more arrests are pending.
The police statement says most children reported missing in the US are found safely after a relatively short period of time, according to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. But it adds that in cases of family abduction, children are missing for the longest period of time for an average of over ten months.
That’s it for today. Thanks for reading.