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 the girl behind.
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 the boys alone in her vehicle while she gambled at a casino in Wyandotte, Okla.
Girl Found Alone at Truck Stop
The investigation began after employees at the Love’s Travel Stop on East Highway 86 found the girl alone inside the business 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 and contacted authorities, who arrived at approximately 3 a.m.
Police reviewed surveillance footage, interviewed witnesses, and worked with the Newton County Sheriff’s Office to identify the vehicle and locate the child’s family.
The pickup was eventually found in Oklahoma by officers from the Wyandotte Nation Police Department, who coordinated with Missouri investigators.
Christensen was subsequently identified as the girl’s mother and arrested.
Children Allegedly Exposed to Drug Paraphernalia
According to a probable cause affidavit cited by Law & Crime, investigators allege Christensen deliberately abandoned her daughter without intending to return.
Prosecutors said her actions demonstrated an intention to abandon the girl under circumstances that could have resulted in serious injury or death.
Investigators also alleged that Christensen transported her two sons without appropriate child restraints and within reach of suspected drug paraphernalia, including syringes.
Police said this created a substantial risk of injury to the children and other motorists.
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.
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