A Utah mother has been arrested after being accused of kidnapping her daughter from Utah to live at a “cult-like” religious compound in Missouri for a year.
Kimberly Dell Davidson-Drolet, 53, of Murray, allegedly kidnapped her non-custodial daughter, Gracyn Drolet, 5, and took her to Springfield, Missouri, in January 2023.
According to the OzarksFirst.com, Kimberly had kept the boy in a religious facility modeled after the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints until June 2024.
The leader of this “cult-like” religion, Paul Dean, is believed to be related to the victim’s mother.
Kimberly Dell Davidson-Drolet, 53, of Murray, allegedly kidnapped her daughter from outside her custody and took her to Springfield, Missouri.
Gracyn Drolet, 5, was abducted in January 2024 and was not found until June 2024.
A warrant was issued for Kimberly’s arrest in December 2023 and she was recently arrested.
She was in the middle of her divorce from Laurence Drolet when she took the child, the report said.
Among the accused accomplices were his son Jaxson Davidson, 30, Dallas Davidson, 23, and Kristine Merrill, 53, all of whom have been arrested.
From now on, officials believe Kimberly and Jaxson left Utah with Gracyn and drove to Missouri while Kristine assisted them in their departure.
According to the indictment, the defendant had planned the kidnapping for 14 months with her accomplices before allegedly committing the crime.
According to the indictment, the defendant had planned the kidnapping for 14 months with her accomplices before allegedly committing the crime.
Kimberly was in the middle of her divorce from Laurence Drolet (pictured) when she took the child, the report said.
Kimberly had kept the child in a religious compound modeled after the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. (Pictured: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Murray)
Kimberly had been on the run for over a year while the four managed to hide her and the girl’s location from police and the girl’s father.
Investigators also discovered that the mother had used several burner phones and the U.S. Postal Service to evade capture.
All four have been charged with kidnapping and conspiracy to commit kidnapping, and Kimberly’s initial appearance is scheduled for August 13.
The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a religious sect of the fundamentalist Mormon denominations whose members practice polygamy.
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