Manny Abarca served protection order before being reported missing with son, court date scheduled
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - Jackson County Legislator Manny Abarca was served a protection order on May 30, a day after an “incident” in Shawnee, Kansas.
According to the court docket, the petitioner, whom KCTV5 confirmed is Abarca’s wife Alexis, was awarded custody. Abarca is ordered to stay away from and have no communication with the petitioner.
An adult abuse hearing is scheduled for Monday, June 9, in the Jackson County courthouse. Later that day, a Jackson County Budget meeting will take place in the same building, at which Abarca is expected to participate.
A missing persons report was filed for Abarca and his two-year-old son, Luca. The Shawnee Police Department filed the report with the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, which shows individual reports for both Abarca and his son. As of Tuesday morning, the KBI still showed them as active missing cases.
KCTV5 spoke with Abarca’s wife, Alexis, after seeing a post from her on Facebook, claiming that Abarca and their son were missing. She told KCTV5 she last saw her son on Wednesday, May 28, and last saw Abarca the following day, Thursday, May 29.
Alexis said they were last together at Abarca’s father’s house in Shawnee, where they had met to switch vehicles. She then told KCTV5 some sort of “incident” happened and police were called.
After learning of the missing persons reports, KCTV5 reached out to Abarca via email, and he responded with a written statement:
“It has come to my attention that a ‘missing persons’ report has been filed erroneously concerning my son and me. Please rest assured we are not missing and we are both safe and healthy.”
Abarca attended a Monday Jackson County Legislature meeting virtually, where he led the pledge of allegiance and laughed at jokes made throughout.
KCTV5 has ed Abarca for comment on these developments, but has not yet heard back.
KCTV5 took this information to a former county prosecutor, who shared his thoughts.
Paul Morrison said authorities take orders of protection very seriously. “They usually involve violence or threats of violence. It often times is a pubic safety issue.”
He said matters involving withholding children are complicated.
“That can be a crime too. Most states refer to that as sort of, using statues name, interference with parental custody. Basically, what that involves is a crime even if you have some sort of custody plan in place,” Morrison explained. “The longer you hold somebody back the more likely you’re going to get charged. When you have little kids, it’s even more important because little kids need to see their parents frequently. It’s kind of a development thing. It’s different if a14 year-old doesn’t see their parent for two weeks. It’s a lot different for a six month old or a one year old or a two year old.”
KCTV5 has reached out to Abarca via text, phone call, and email multiple times. We have also reached out to Abarca’s wife through text and phone call multiple but haven’t heard back from either of them since Monday.
Abarca’s wife’s attorney also did not respond to comment over phone or email.
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