Heavenly Echo Erickson, abducted, found alive in Mexico City with her mother

published on Wednesday, December 9, 2009 8:10 PM MST

By JODI HAUSEN Chronicle Staff Writer

The Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office Wednesday reported it is looking for a 2-year-old girl kidnapped by her mother more than two weeks ago.

Authorities are looking for 2-year-old Heavenly Echo Erickson (left). They believe Erickson's mother, Viola Cathel (top-right), and James Anderson (bottom-right) may have taken Heavenly. The girl was last seen at her father's house west of Bozeman. Anyone with information about the whereabouts of the child is urged to call the Gallatin County Sheriff's Office at 582-2100 or 582-2121. Heavenly Echo Erickson was taken by her birth mother, Viola Cathel, 22, and a 33-year-old man, James Anderson on Nov. 23, according to a missing person report issued by the sheriff’s office The mother does not have custody of the girl.



“This is not an Amber Alert,” Sheriff Jim Cashell said. “The child is not believed to be in any danger.”

Heavenly is described as about 2-feet tall, 25 pounds with blonde hair and blue eyes.

She was last seen at her father’s house west of Bozeman. Her mother and Anderson picked her up at the house in a red 1998, four-door Saturn with a temporary Montana license plate number AACE6675.

The girl had been court-ordered to her aunt’s custody in Great Falls, Cashell said.

Her mother is 5-feet, 9-inches tall, 150 pounds, with blonde hair and blue eyes, according to the report.

Anderson, also known as James Richard Worthington, is listed on Montana’s Department of Correction’s Web site as having violated his conditional release for a Flathead County burglary charge. On that site, he is described as 5-feet-11-inches tall, 192 pounds with brown hair and hazel eyes.

Anyone with information about Heavenly’s whereabouts is urged to call the sheriff’s office at 582-2100 or 582-2121.

http://bozemandailychronicle.com/articles/2009/12/10/news/300missing.txt

that guy is a keeper! now hes really made more trouble for himself hasn't he?

i've never understood the parents who take off with their kids, knowing they're going to get caught and then their children will be kept from them for even longer. it doesnt hold any 'worth it' meaning to me at all.

But the cases where its the mother or father especially bother me. I get she isnt in her mothers custody, but why put out the alert if the child isnt in any danger? If they are 100% right and the mother would never hurt her daughter or let anyone else hurt her, why isnt she in the mothers custody first of all, and second of all if its for nothing too serious why isnt this girl with her mother!

UPDATED: Sheriff issues alert for missing 2-year-old

By Andy Malby, editor

The Gallatin County Sheriff's Department issued an missing person's alert Wednesday for a 2-year-old girl officers say was taken from Bozeman by her non-custodial mother and the mother's boyfriend.

Heavenly Echo Erickson was last seen Nov. 23 in Bozeman in the company of Viola Cathel, 22, of Great Falls, and James Worthington, a/k/a James Anderson, 34. They were last seen driving a red 1998 Saturn 4-door sedan with a temporary Montana plate of AACE6675.

Sheriff Jim Cashell said Wednesday a warrant has been issued for Cathel for custodial interference. He said Thursday there have been no reported sightings of the girl, her mother or the boyfriend. He added that Worthington has ties to Florida, though he did not know Worthington's last address.

"It's a Cascade County case, but the custodial interference took place in Bozeman," he said. "Custody was awarded to an aunt and the mom came and grabbed the kid before the aunt could get here."

The girl was taken from the Bozeman home of her father, Timothy Erickson, he said.

Cashell said no Amber Alert was issued in the case because "it doesn't fall under the standards" of the Amber Alert program.

"We know who it is we know why she took her and the girl isn't in any danger," he explained.

Under state law, custodial interference is a felony with a penalty of up to 10 years in prison and/or a $50,000 fine. However, the charge does not apply if the offender does not leave the state and returns the abducted person voluntarily before being arrested.

Heavenly is two feet tall and 25 pounds with blonde hair and blue eyes. Cathel is 5' 9" tall, 150 pounds, with blonde hair and blue eyes. Worthington is 5' 11" tall, 150 pounds, with brown hair and hazel eyes. Photos of the three can be viewed on the Belgrade News Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/belgradenews.

On Thursday, CNN's Nancy Grace carried a segment about the story.

Anyone with information about the case is urged to call Cashell's office at (406) 582-2100, 582-2121; or the Montana Missing Persons Clearinghouse at (406) 444-1526.

http://www.belgrade-news.com/view.php?article=11760

December 14, 2009 9:00 AM
Missing: Heavenly Echo Erickson, Two-Years Old, From Montana

Posted by Carlin DeGuerin Miller
(helpfindthemissing.org)
(CBS)
(Montana Department of Corrections )
GREAT FALLS, Mont. (CBS) Authorities in Gallatin County are searching for Heavenly Echo Erickson, a two-year old girl with ties to the Great Falls area, who has been missing for more than two weeks, and they are asking for help from the public in locating her.

Photo: Undated photo of missing 2-year-old Heavenly Echo Erickson.


Heavenly is described as being two feet tall, weighing 25 pounds with blonde hair and blue eyes.

Heavenly was first reported missing on November 23rd, according to Gallatin County Sheriff Jim Cashell. She was last seen in Bozeman, Montana, about 145 miles west of Billings, and authorities have reason to believe she was taken by her non-custodial mother, Viola Cathel, who is a Great Falls native.


Photo: Undated image of Viola Cathel.

Sheriff Cashell said that Heavenly had been court-ordered to her aunt’s custody in Great Falls, but her mother, Cathel, "came and grabbed the kid before the aunt could get here," according to the Belgrade News.

Cathel is believed to be in the company of James Worthington, also known as James Anderson. They were last seen driving a 1998 four-door red Saturn with temporary license plates of AACE6675.


Photo: James Anderson, AKA James Worthington, in undated Department of Corrections image.

According to Montana’s Department of Corrections website, Anderson is listed as having violated his conditional release for a Flathead County burglary charge.

Cathel is said to be 5'9" tall, weighing 150 pounds with blue eyes and blond hair. Authorities say Worthington is 5'11" tall, weighs 150 pounds and has brown hair and hazel eyes.

Anyone who has information about the girl's disappearance or whereabouts of Heavenly, Cathel, or Worthington is asked to call the Gallatin County Sheriff's Office at (406) 582.2100 (opt. #2); the Montana Missing Persons Clearinghouse at (406) 444.1526; or the Great Falls Police Department at (406) 771-1180

http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/12/11/crimesider/entry5967018.shtml

Her Mother could have given her away at one time. Who knows why the Aunt has custody. The issue is her Mother did not have custody and had no right to take her. I hope she is found soon and the Mother goes to jail. I will be putting her on the home page tonight.

I am so glad that they do not think that she is in danger.

I agree. I do not think she is in danger but then again, there had to be a good reason she does not have custody and I haven't heard why. Did she neglect her? We just don't know.

I think NG is discussing this tonight.

could be the mother has a drug problem or something. Hope NG covers it and gets off of Tiger.

As far as I know, NG covered Tiger the entire night.

Heavenly Echo Erickson was found in Mexico City along with her mother, Viola Cathel on Monday, January 11, 2010. United States Marshals stated that the pair has been detained by immigration officials while a search continues for Cathel’s boyfriend, James Worthington.

James Worthington had disappeared form a conditional release supervision from the Department of Corrections on a burglary charge in Flathead County, Montana. It was reported that Viola Cathel and James Worthington (also known as James Anderson) took Viola from her biological father’s home on November 23, 2009. Heavenly Echo Erickson was the subject of a nationwide search and though she was listed as a family abduction, was believed to be in danger.

Heavenly’s mother, Viola Cathel, has been charged on federal kidnapping charges. Heavenly will be handed over to social services and will be reunited with her legal guardian: her aunt.

Though many feel that family abductions aren’t as dangerous as stranger abductions, this isn’t always the case. Many parents lose their parental rights for past incidents of abuse. The emotional scars experienced by children who are victims of parental abductions can be traumatizing. Many children who are victims of parental kidnapping and abductions may suffer physical, emotional, and sometimes sexual abuse.

http://www.examiner.com/x-32312-Amber-Alerts-Examiner~y2010m1d12-Abducted-child-Heavenly-Echo-Erickson-found-in-Mexico-City

This is great news!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :cheers: