Police in Oklahoma are desperately trying to track down a 5-year-old girl who was allegedly traded for drugs by her mother two years ago.
Ashley Rowland, 39, was arrested in late October and charged with child abandonment in connection with the April 2022 disappearance of her daughter, who was 2 at the time.
According to reports, Rowland was arrested after admitting to police that she gave her child to a man who was selling her drugs. The little girl hasn't been seen in over two years.
Court documents obtained by several outlets, including KFOR and KOCO, show that the Oklahoma Department of Human Services was asked to take custody of the child in April 2023, but they couldn't find her. When workers finally tracked down Rowland, she told them her daughter was with her father in Georgia.
When interviewed by police, however, Rowland had a different story.
She allegedly told investigators that she gave her daughter to a man named "Carlos" who was selling her methamphetamine. She went on to say that Carlos could be her daughter's father, but she wasn't sure. She also wasn't able to provide a last name or any physical description that could help police locate him.
Rowland allegedly told police that Carlos mentioned he was going back to Mexico and that she hasn't seen him since April 2022.
The little girl would be 5-years-old now. Police did not release her name or provide any photos.
"This is a very active case that we are working diligently on. All leads are being investigated in relation to the location of the child," the Moore Police Department said in a statement to KFOR. "If you have any information on this case, please contact the Moore Police Department."
The state Department of Human Services called the case "heartbreaking and unimaginable."
"Like the rest of the community, Oklahoma Human Services reels in concern for this child’s safety. While we are unable to discuss cases due to state and federal confidentiality statutes, the agency is grateful to our law enforcement partners for their continued work to find her and as they seek justice in her disappearance," DHS said in a statement to KFOR. "We remain committed to supporting their efforts, however needed."
Rowland has since been released from custody on a $3,000 bond. According to KCOC, a judge was in the process of raising her bond to $100,000 but she was apparently released before the paperwork was processed.