Mom Accused of Abandoning Daughter at Truck Stop, Then Leaving Sons Outside Casino

Kayla Marie Christensen, 34, allegedly drove away from a Love’s Travel Stop in Neosho, Mo., shortly before 3 a.m. on Oct. 23, leaving her 4-year-old daughter behind in the parking lot.

When police later questioned her about the child, Christensen allegedly denied having a daughter, insisting that her only children were the two boys traveling with her, according to court documents.

Local radio station KZRG reported that Christensen subsequently left her two sons alone inside her vehicle while she went into a casino in Wyandotte, Okla., to gamble.

Girl Found Alone at Truck Stop

The investigation began after employees at the Love’s Travel Stop on East Highway 86 found the 4-year-old girl alone without a parent or guardian.

Witnesses told Neosho police they had seen the child get out of a black Chevrolet Silverado before the vehicle drove away. Employees kept the girl safe inside the store and contacted authorities, who arrived at approximately 3 a.m.

Police reviewed surveillance footage, interviewed witnesses, and coordinated with the Newton County Sheriff’s Office to identify the vehicle and track the family.

The pickup was eventually located in Oklahoma by officers from the Wyandotte Nation Police Department, who assisted Missouri investigators in taking Christensen into custody.

Children Allegedly Exposed to Drug Paraphernalia

According to a probable cause affidavit cited by Law & Crime, investigators allege Christensen deliberately abandoned her daughter with no intention of returning.

Prosecutors stated that her actions demonstrated an intent to desert the child under circumstances that posed a severe risk of bodily harm or death.

Furthermore, officers alleged that Christensen transported her two sons without proper child safety restraints and within reach of suspected drug paraphernalia, including unshielded syringes.

Formal Felony Charges

The Newton County Prosecutor’s Office has charged Christensen with first-degree child abandonment, a Class B felony, and two counts of first-degree child endangerment, both Class D felonies, according to an Oct. 28 police statement.

All three children have been placed in protective custody under the supervision of the Missouri Children’s Division.