Missing children found safe

NEW MADRID - A woman accused of violating a parental custody order is in jail and the two children at the center of the dispute are being returned to the father.

New Madrid County Sheriff Terry Stevens said his department located Rita Reeves, 33, in Iberia, La. When a sheriff's deputy and two members of the Missouri Highway Patrol went to Iberia they located the woman and her two children, Austin, 8, and Brandon, 3, at a residence and took the woman into custody.

Stevens said the children were found unharmed.

The ordeal began for the youngsters when Reeves, who is not the custodial parent, picked up the children from their father, Enoch Masterson of Gideon on Friday evening for a regularly scheduled court visit. After the children were not returned to their father on Sunday night, he alerted authorities Monday morning.

"He told us what happened and said he believed the woman fled with them," said Stevens. Authorities received a warrant charging Reeves with interfering with custody by leaving the state or concealment, a Class D felony and began an investigation.

According to Stevens officers determined that while Reeves was originally from O'Fallon she had been found staying in Dunklin County with family members. Later a tip led them to Louisiana.

Reeves is being held by Louisiana authorities. Stevens said his department is seeking to have the woman extradited to Missouri.

After the arrest, Masterson was contacted and he is en route to take custody of the children, Stevens said.