In the spring of 2019, the life of a young girl from Taylors, South Carolina, was irrevocably altered. Eleven-year-old Mckenna Diane Butcher, a child with light brown hair and blue eyes, disappeared on April 25, 2019. Her disappearance was not a random act, but rather the culmination of a bitter custody dispute between her parents. Authorities believe that Mckenna was abducted by her non-custodial mother, Jennifer Lea Settle, immediately after a family court granted full custody to
Mckenna's father, Michael Butcher. This was not the first time Jennifer had allegedly taken Mckenna without her father's consent; he has stated that she was first taken from him when she was only eight months old.
Following the 2019 court decision, Jennifer Settle and her daughter vanished. An arrest warrant for custodial interference was issued for Jennifer by the state of South Carolina, and on June 28, 2019, a federal warrant for unlawful flight to avoid prosecution was also issued. It is believed that Jennifer may have been planning their disappearance for some time. Reports suggest that she had mentioned to family friends in Maryland that she was going to disappear with Mckenna and that they would never be heard from again. There were also indications that she might have been considering leaving the country. Investigators believe they may be traveling in a 2005 Chrysler Town and Country with South Carolina license plate number 7810MC.
The years since Mckenna's disappearance have been filled with anguish for her father, who has been tirelessly searching for his only child. The case has been featured on national television programs such as 'America's Most Wanted' in an effort to generate new leads. Law enforcement officials have expressed their belief that someone, likely in the Greenville, South Carolina area, has knowledge of Mckenna and Jennifer's whereabouts and may have even assisted them in their flight. The core of this case is a parental abduction, where a mother, after losing a custody battle, took her daughter and went into hiding. The search for Mckenna Butcher continues, with her father holding out hope for her safe return.Last Seen: Apr 25, 2019
