Couple Arrested In Westmoreland County Facing Charges In Disappearance And Death Of 3-Year-Old
GREENSBURG (KDKA) - The Augusta County Sheriffs' office says that 3-year-old Khaleesi Cuthriel died while in the care of two people currently behind bars in Westmoreland County.
Now, their search mission for Khaleesi has turned into a recovery mission.
"It's heart-wrenching to us," Augusta County Sheriff Donald Smith said.
According to police, before her mother went to jail in Virginia in 2020, she placed Khaleesi in the car of Candi Royer.
Then, in February, Royer said Khaleesi was staying with family members, and that was the last time she was seen alive. Fast-forwarding to Sept. 3, police say Royer was reported missing.
It was determined that she took part in a crime spree with her boyfriend Travis Brown across Virginia and into Pennsylvania.
On Sept. 12, U.S. Marshals found Royer and Brown in a South Greensburg hotel.
According to police, the two were found at the Knight's Inn with stolen checks, meth, and no sign of Khaleesi.
The sheriff's office is working on extraditing Royer and Brown back to Virginia where they will face multiple drug charges as well as charges in Khaleesi's case. Both of them have already been charged with abuse and child neglect.
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In the meantime, police are still searching for Khaleesi. On Monday, several law enforcement agencies swarmed a home in Augusta County, Virginia.
"There's a lot of time that's been lost since February and now. And we're trying to play catch-up and try to figure out what's going on months later," Sheriff Smith said.
Law enforcement said it's not beneficial to have community search parties at this time, but if anyone has information to give them a call.
"The number one question is, I want to know where this child is. This office and I are dedicated to finding where this child is," Sheriff Smith said. "We are working nonstop to try and find out where this child is."