WINONA, Minn. — The children of Madeline Kingsbury, the Winona woman who has been missing since March, will remain with Kingsbury's parents at least until a custody case plays out in family court.
Winona County took custody of the children after Kingbury’s disappearance because Adam Fravel, Kingsbury’s ex-boyfriend, does not have custodial rights, and the county alleged the children are in need of protective custody.
In the CHIPS case, Fravel asked for the children to be returned to him. Both sides acknowledged the reason the county does not want the children in his care is that police suspect his involvement in Kingsbury’s disappearance. He has not been charged.
In a motions hearing on the eve of the child protection trial, Fravel admitted a need for “child protection” in a move to bring the case to family court. He has filed for custody there, and Kingsbury’s parents – David and Cathy Kingsbury – are expected to do the same.
In the meantime, Maddi’s two children are technically in the custody of Winona County and David and Cathy Kingsbury are foster parents for them.
Kingsbury was last seen on March 31 after dropping off the children at daycare while in the company of Fravel. He told investigators that the two of them went up to their apartment before he left to do errands, and when he returned, she was gone.
Winona police and the Winona County Sheriff's Office have been tight-lipped about potential suspects or theories in Maddi's disappearance, but are conducting targeted searches in remote parts of Winona and Fillmore Counties and running down potential leads.
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