Nathan R. Belcher

Just before 4:00 on Sunday morning, February 25, 2018, a Columbus Police Officer conducted a traffic stop.  The driver of the vehicle was identified as 28 year-old Nathan R. Belcher, of Carl Junction, Missouri.  Also in the car were two girls, ages 10 and 15, who were not related to Belcher.  Belcher was released from the scene of the stop and the officer returned the girls to their parents.

Investigators with the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office later began looking into the circumstances surrounding how the girls came to be with Belcher early Sunday morning.  An arrest warrant was sought and obtained as a result of their investigation.

On Tuesday, February 27, 2018, Cherokee County Detectives coordinated efforts with the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office and Belcher was arrested at his place of employment.

He is currently being held, pending extradition, without bond in the Jasper County Jail on two counts of Kidnapping and Aggravated Child Endangerment.

“During the course of this ongoing investigation, a search warrant for digital evidence was obtained,” stated Cherokee County Sheriff David Groves.

“Because this remains an ongoing investigation, I won’t go into a lot of specific details about the case.  However, I will again stress the importance for parents to evaluate the need for their young children to take their phones to bed with them at night and for parents to know exactly who their children are communicating with online,” continued Sheriff Groves.

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