WINONA – The children of Madeline Kingsbury, who disappeared under suspicious circumstances at the end of March, will remain with her parents for now per an agreement worked out between Winona County and the father of her children.
According to court documents, Winona County will drop a petition for child protection against Adam Fravel and continue to allow him supervised access to the 5-year-old and 2-year-old children. Fravel plans to admit in court that the children are in need of protection under state law because their guardian, Kingsbury, is missing.
A trial set for Tuesday has been canceled, and a hearing to determine custody of the children will be set at a later date. Fravel has filed to gain full custody.
In a motion filed last month, Kingsbury's parents, David and Cathy Kingsbury, argued the children should remain with them and said they had "significant concerns ... that Mr. Fravel knows more about Ms. Kingsbury's disappearance than he is letting on."
The Kingsburys have objected to the deal between Winona County and Fravel, according to court records.
Kingsbury, 26, was last seen in Winona on March 31 with Fravel dropping off their children at day care.
She didn't show up for work at Mayo Clinic in Rochester or pick up her kids. Police searched her van and home, finding her phone, wallet, ID and a jacket that she had worn earlier in the day.
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Winona police say Fravel told law enforcement he left Kingsbury's home driving her van around 10 a.m., but didn't see her when he returned later that day. Police have yet to name suspects in Kingsbury's disappearance.
Winona County officials got involved several days after Kingsbury's disappearance upon learning Fravel didn't have custodial rights to the children, meaning the kids don't have a legal decisionmaker with Kingsbury gone.
According to court documents, social workers and law enforcement on April 4 tried to enforce a 72-hour hold on the children. Officials found Kingsbury's children with Fravel at his parents' home. Fravel and his family initially didn't allow social workers access to the children but eventually relented after Fravel called his attorney, according to court records.
Fravel has denied involvement in Kingsbury's disappearance. Winona police continue to investigate the case and the Kingsburys have offered a $50,000 reward for information leading to Kingsbury's whereabouts.