Deschutes County Sheriff's Office
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News Release
Missing Endangered Infant Located after State-Wide Search - 12/08/19

Released by: Sergeant James McLaughlin

Release Date: December 8th, 2019

Location 19000 Block of Shoshone Rd. Bend

Arrested: Skeele, Amber Joy 30 year old female, Eugene resident 

Charges: Custodial Interferance I, Burglary I, Contempt of Court

Narrative:

On 12/8/19 at approximately 8:45pm, Deschutes County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to an in-progress domestic dispute on Shoshone Road in the Deschutes River Woods neighborhood.  While in route, deputies learned that two females had engaged in a physical struggle with the father of an infant child, and fled the residence with the child.  Deputies subsequently learned one of the females, Amber Skeele, was the child’s mother, and the Oregon Department of Human Services (DHS) had removed the infant from her care, placing the infant with his father, due to a recent arrest involving child neglect, which is still under investigation. 

Probable Cause was developed for the crimes of Custodial Interference in the First Degree, Burglary in the First Degree, and Contempt of Court. 

Deputies conducted an extensive search of the region for the females and their associated vehicle.  Skeele was reportedly from the Eugene area, but other information was available that she may travel east to Idaho.  Deschutes County issued a statewide all-points bulletin broadcast in an attempt to locate the vehicle for the safety of the child. 

At approximately 12:30am on 12/8/19, a Lane County deputy and a trooper with the Oregon State Police located the vehicle in the Eugene area.  Both females were found in the vehicle with the child.  Skeele was arrested and the child was returned safely to his father.  Skeele was transported to the Deschutes County Adult Jail and booked on the aforementioned charges.  Information on possible criminal charges for the other female will be forwarded to the District Attorney for review.  

Numerous investigative techniques were used to locate the child.  The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office Patrol Division was assisted in this investigation by Deschutes County 911, the Deschutes County District Attorney’s Office, and the Deschutes County Detectives Division; as well as the Oregon State Police, Lane County Sheriff’s Office, Sunriver Police Department, Eugene Police Department, Deschutes and Lane County DHS, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. 

The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office is a full service agency that oversees the adult jail, provides patrol, criminal investigation, civil process and search and rescue operations.  Special units include SWAT, Marine patrol, ATV Patrol, Forest Patrol, along with four K9 teams.  Founded in 1916 and today lead by your duly elected Sheriff L. Shane Nelson, the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office serves the nearly 190,000 residents in Deschutes County.  The agency has 230 authorized and funded personnel, which includes 187 sworn employees who provide services to the 3,055 square miles of Deschutes County.

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