Kansas City, Kansas, police hold father after 3-year-old’s body believed to be found
The father of a 3-year-old girl, who was reported missing early Friday and whose body police said they believe they found, was booked in the Wyandotte County jail on suspicion of first-degree murder and child abuse.
Howard Jansen III, 29, has not been formally charged in the death of Olivia Ann Jansen. Jansen, who was booked late Friday, is being held without bond, according to online court records.
Jansen also was being held on a warrant that originated from Kansas City, Kansas.
Saturday morning, a second person was booked into Wyandotte County jail under the same case number as Jansen. Jacqulyn Kirkpatrick, 33, is being held on suspicion of first-degree murder and child abuse.
On Friday, Kansas City, Kansas, police said officers found a child’s body in a wooded area in the 3400 block of Steele around 5:30 p.m.
Authorities have not said how the child died or released any other details.
Olivia was last seen at her residence in the 4400 block of Gibbs Road, Officer T.J. Tomasic, a spokesman for the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department, said Friday evening. Her father reported Olivia was missing from their home at 8:30 a.m.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported that Olivia’s father woke up at 6:30 a.m. and discovered that she was gone. The back door was open. The father told police he last saw Olivia around 11 p.m. Thursday.
The highway patrol issued an Amber Alert for the girl late Friday morning. But it was canceled just before 6:30 p.m., when they announced that Olivia had been found dead.
A large crowd had gathered near South 34th Street and Steele Road as police and other authorities announced they found a child’s body.
The Federal Bureau of Investigations had helped in the search for Olivia early Friday afternoon.
The case is under investigation by the Criminal Investigation Division. Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Kansas City, Kansas, police at 913-596-3000 or the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS.
This story was originally published July 11, 2020 at 1:32 AM.
