SANTA PAULA : Woman Reported as Missing Shows Up
A woman who was listed as a missing person when she left her daughter for two days has returned home, Ventura sheriff’s detectives said Wednesday.
Officials from the Public Social Services Agency removed Lorri Howells’ 7-year-old daughter from the residence outside Santa Paula, and a hearing will be held to determine custody of the child, Sgt. David Tennessen said.
Howells did not indicate why she left for so long, Tennessen said.
Howells, 32, left her daughter with a baby-sitter Sunday afternoon. She told the baby-sitter that she would be gone for a couple of hours, Tennessen said.
The baby-sitter reported the woman missing at 10 a.m. Monday. Howells returned home at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Tennessen said. Sheriff’s detectives arrested her on suspicion of child abandonment, then released her.
When they questioned Howells, she indicated that she had spent the time with her ex-boyfriend, authorities said.
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