Police have arrested an Oklahoma mother in a case related to the disappearance of her daughter. The 2-year-old has been missing for more than two years. Ashley Rowlandâs daughter was last seen in 2022.
Recently, Rowland told investigators that she gave her daughter away in a drug deal to a man named Carlos. She says she exchanged her daughter for meth. She claims she has not seen the man since. Sadly, the child has not been seen since that time either.
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It took authorities a while to realize that the child was no longer with her mother, The Kansas City Star reported. In April 2023, months after the toddlerâs disappearance, the Department of Human Services tried to find the child and pick her up. But they were unable to locate Rowland, according to KOCO. When DHS did eventually find Rowland at a home in Moore, Oklahoma, she told them the child was living with her father in Georgia. The department determined that was not the case.
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Rowland said Carlos could be her child's father.
When they interviewed Rowland, she admitted that she gave Carlos the girl in April 2022. She told investigators that he could be the childâs father but she wasnât sure, per KOCO. Rowland said she doesn’t know Carlosâ last name and couldnât provide any identifying features for police to find him. She did mention that Carlos said he planned to return to Mexico.
Despite the time that's passed, police are still searching for the girl.
As a result, police filed a probable cause affidavit against Rowland. They arrested her and charged her with child desertion. As for her daughter, authorities claim they have no way of knowing if she is dead or alive. Still, the investigation to locate her is ongoing.
âThis is a very active case that we are all working diligently on,â Moore police told the Star, adding, âAll leads are being investigated regarding the location of the child. Donât hesitate to contact authorities if you have any information on this case.â
Police cannot release the child's name or photo.
DHS said that although it canât comment on the case, the situation is âheartbreaking and unimaginable.â The department also is grateful to those who are working to find the girl.
Although efforts are being made, police cannot release the childâs name or photo to the public yet. The girls’ mother is in the Oklahoma County Detention Center, held on a $3,000 bond.
