UPDATE on missing girl: Charges filed, then reduced
EVANSVILLE, Ind.—The latest in the strange saga of the 15-year-old girl who disappeared almost two weeks ago (06.14.12) and was finally recovered the following Monday night (06.18.12) has been like a roller coaster, having had its ups and downs.
According to officials from out of both Wabash County (sheriff’s department and Mt. Carmel city police) and the Evansville Police Department, a missing persons report was made Sunday, June 17 at 2 p.m. for Katrina Dillworth, 15, most recently of Evansville but prior to that of Lawrence County, Ill. This missing persons report listed that Katrina was last seen the previous Thursday in the company of a male friend, Alexander Sparks, 20, of Mt. Carmel, and was suspected of being with him, primarily because it was being determined that she was texting and posting to Facebook with his cell phone, and because she had been told that Thursday night to get him out of the apartment she shared with her mother, Regina. Apparently instead of getting him out, the girl left with him. Their whereabouts remained unknown for the entire weekend at which time the family filed the missing persons/runaway report, which went into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database, this according to officials, as having last been seen with Sparks.
We’ve learned more about the whole matter since it unfolded. According to family, Sparks had actually been staying at the Dillworth apartment, having convinced the girl’s mother that he was younger than 20 (a crucial point in the story, as sex between two people when one of them is underage and the other is five years or more older than the younger one is a felony in most states), and the mother wanted him gone. The departure of Katrina occurred after a blowup about Sparks’ presence.
During the weekend, members of the Dillworth family searched frantically for Katrina and Sparks, as it was suspected that the girl was with her current boyfriend. On Monday the 18th, Facebook messages appeared that at least indicated the girl was alive and well:
screenshot
This was after information from NCIC appeared on Wabash Valley Communique Monday morning, with photos submitted by the family, which submission began at about 10:30 a.m., and prompted the little girl to realize that her family was completely panicked over her extended absence:
Screenshot of Wabash Valley Communique, information appearing Monday morning about 10:30 a.m.
Her family received messages from Sparks’ phone from Katrina stating that they were all “being silly” and that she was just fine.
However, it got worse.
On the evening of Monday the 18th, family reports, Sparks dropped off the girl at her friend Kaelyn’s house, where police arrived and picked her up to deliver her to the apartment she shared with her mother. The police officer, reported to have been about to go off shift, was told by Regina Dillworth that she did not want her daughter alone in her presence because she was, frankly, afraid of what the girl might do, as there’d been ongoing arguments about Sparks. The police officer reportedly told the Dillworths that they basically had only two years left to deal with Katrina’s bad behavior, then it was over because Katrina would be emancipated….and he left.
Katrina, back on home turf, proceeded back to her previous ways and got on her phone to contact Sparks. Regina refused to allow her to do this and took the phone away. At this point, Katrina allegedly grabbed a steak knife and began attacking her mother. stabbing her repeatedly. Regina sustained defense wounds across the backs of her forearms in an attempt to fight off the alleged attack, then turned to run out of her apartment, located behind Barnes & Noble in Evansville. At that point she sustained stab wounds to the back. Regina was able to make it outside, where neighbors heard her screaming. At some point she sustained a stab wound to the front abdomen as well. In all, she received a reported 53 stitches for the wounds, for which she was hospitalized overnight. Katrina was apprehended by police and taken to Cross Pointe in Evansville, in custody of the area Youth Correctional Center. She was initially held on a reported charge of Attempted Murder; however, when the matter was examined by the local prosecutor’s office, she was instead charged with Battery Causing Serious Injury (with a Knife), a Class C felony. Here’s what remains of local coverage of the case.
Katrina Dillworth remains in custody. According to those sources working the case, Sparks is still being sought for questioning; however, because the focus ceased to be on the missing child case and escalated to a serious Battery case, and because it involves a juvenile, Indiana authorities aren’t as willing to discuss the case, so it’s unclear how serious they are about his part in it.
The family, however, is serious.
From Stephani (Dillworth) Smith’s Facebook page
According to family, this is the second time Katrina has disappeared with Sparks, the first occurring either late last year or early this year, when she was only 14. The family has leveled many accusations against Sparks, including dope use in the Dillworth home, theft of items from that home, and of course, illicit sexual activity with the underage girl. They note that her behavior since becoming involved with him is atrocious, as evidenced by what she allegedly did to her mother, and they wish the authorities would do something with him. There is much, much more to the story that they are alleging, which will be withheld at this time pending further investigation. However, suffice it to say that despite Sparks’ attorney’s rantings that Sparks hasn’t been involved with Katrina or was in any way responsible for her absence, the family states unequivocally otherwise, as they’ve been there and know the truth.
Short URL: http://www.disclosurenewsonline.com/?p=13293
Posted by Jack Howser
on Jun 26 2012. Filed under Breaking, Indiana.
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