Joshua Vallow, 7, and Tylee Ryan, 17 (findjjandtylee.com)
Time is running out for a woman to “physically produce” two missing Idaho kids to meet the requirements of a child protection action.
The action, filed by the Madison County Prosecutor’s office and served to Lori Vallow and husband Chad Daybell, gives Vallow until today, Thursday, January 30, to “physically produce Tylee and JJ to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare in Rexburg … or to the Rexburg Police.”
The Kauai Police served Daybell and Vallow in Hawaii last Saturday, according to a letter sent by prosecutors. Officers there say they found no evidence that Tylee and JJ were ever in Hawaii.
Authorities say that a failure to comply with the child protection action will leave the couple in contempt of court.
The last time that JJ Vallow, 7, and Tylee Ryan, 17, were seen was in September according to police.
Normally, the existence of child protection actions is sealed. Prosecutors say this time, they received permission to unseal the existence of it “to alert the public and anyone with knowledge of the location or health and safety of the children.”
Former prosecutor Greg Skordas says that there are 3 possibilities about what could happen today.
The first, he says, is if they show up to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare in Rexburg with the kids. Then it’s case closed.
“The authorities in Idaho don’t have any jurisdiction to do anything with children who are not being neglected or abused,” Skordas told Dave and Dujanovic.
“If it turns out they’re happy and healthy and smile with mommy and step-dad then the Idaho authorities will feel like they did their job and close the case.”
The next scenario that Skordas discussed with Dave and Dujanovic is that Chad Daybell and Lori Vallow show up in Rexburg, but without JJ and Tylee.
“Under [this] scenario, she will be held in contempt of court. Unfortunately, the contempt law in Idaho is a misdemeanor and the sanction for contempt of court is a fine of up to $5,000 and imprisonment of up to five days,” Skordas says.
Skordas says he doubts if this is what happens today that the Idaho authorities would leave it at that though.
“They may then proceed with criminal charges including murder. At some point, even if you don’t have a body, the authorities are going to say, ‘Look, we’re going to presume the worst. These parents have lied to us repeatedly. So they may find another way to hold her in custody.
“That’s the likely scenario in my mind,” Skordas says.
“In my opinion, she’s just not going to do anything. In the end, the authorities in Idaho need to decide if they’re going to extradite her, and that’s an expensive process.”
If you want to hear the rest of Skordas’ interview with KSL NewsRadio’s Dave and Dujanovic you can hear it in the podcast below.
If you have any information about the missing children, please contact the Rexburg police at 208-359-3000 or report it to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children by calling 1 (800) 843-5678.
More information can also be found at www.findjjandtylee.com