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Grandparents of missing baby arrested at airport trying to flee from charges of filing false missing persons report: Police
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Arizona police arrested the grandparents of a baby who has been missing with his mother since June. Authorities said the grandparents filed false missing persons reports and purposely helped their daughter and her infant son disappear after a judge ordered joint custody of the baby with the father.

ABC 15 reports that Mesa police arrested Roland Jones and Cassandra Yusko-Jones at the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport on Wednesday morning at around 11:30 a.m. They’re accused of filing false missing persons reports on their 19-year-daughter, Madeline Jones, and their 1-year-old grandson, William. Authorities said the couple planned an “elaborate scheme” to keep the baby away from his father, Jacob Gouchenour, who was awarded joint custody of the boy a day before the infant and his mother disappeared.

According to authorities, the couple filed the missing persons reports on June 16 and claimed that Madeline Jones was “stressed about her divorce” with Gouchenour. Gouchenour and Jones married in 2015 and divorced in 2017. Further, detectives indicated that Yusko-Jones withdrew $2,900 cash from her bank the day before her daughter and grandson vanished. A friend of the family told police she spotted baby William wearing a girl’s dress before they went missing.

Officials reported that the couple dyed Madeline Jones’ hair, gave her at least $5,000, and gave the baby a substance that made him vomit profusely in an attempt to frame Gouchenour for abuse. After investigating the incident, detectives determined that the child was not sick while in his father’s care. They also uncovered a search for “ipecac” on Cassandra Jones’ phone. Ipecac is a drug used to induce vomiting, generally after someone ingests poison. They also uncovered online search queries for “how to disappear” on Madeline Jones’ laptop.

Great Falls Tribune reports that authorities told Gouchenour’s mother, Andrea Gouchenour, that the Jones couple planned to fly to Texas after they discovered police filed charges against them. Authorities nabbed them before they boarded for their flight.

Meanwhile, Madeline Jones and William remain missing. Anyone with any information on their whereabout should contact the Mesa Police Department or the tip line at 800-479-9262. A $5,000 is currently being offered for information that leads their location.

[Photo: Mesa PD]
Yusko-Jones faces one count of custodial interference and one count of false reporting, while her husband faces one count of custodial interference and two counts of false reporting.

[Feature Photo: Police Handout]