A Villager has been extradited back to Kentucky to face a criminal case in connection with her daughter who has been missing since 1983.
Debra Leigh Newton, 66, of the Village of Piedmont, was arrested Nov. 24 by Marion County sheriff’s deputies as a fugitive from justice in Kentucky. Newton voluntarily waived extradition back to Kentucky.
Newton was the “non-custodial parent” of 3-year-old Michelle Newton when the little girl went missing in 1983. She was last seen in Louisville, Kentucky, according to the Missing People in America network. It was initially believed that Debra Newton had taken the little girl to Georgia. The little girl’s father had custody of Michelle at the time she disappeared.
A warrant was issued for Debra Newton’s arrest for custodial interference, but in 2005 the warrant was mistakenly canceled. Some reports suggest that Debra Newton had been believed to be dead due to drug use.
“Michelle remains a missing child, however; there has been no indication of her whereabouts since 1983,” according the MPIA network.
Due to inaccurate information, Michelle Newton’s missing persons case was removed from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in 2005. The case was closed for some years until it was reopened as a cold case in 2015. Michelle Newton’s missing persons information was added back to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in 2021.
One online sleuth following the case has suggested that Michelle Newton may be alive, but completely unaware of her true identity.
If you have any information about this case, contact the Jefferson County Sheriff in Kentucky at (502) 574-5400.