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Haylee Donathan was found safe on Tuesday, June 23, 2009, although authorities believe she may have chicken pox.
Four-year-old Haylee Donathan, who disappeared with her mother, Candace Watson, and fugitive sex offender, Robbi Potter, was found Tuesday in San Diego at a Christian retreat center.
Haylee was picked up by authorities, while Potter, 27, and Watson, 24, were arrested after a tip from U.S. Marshals led officers to the fugitive.
U.S. Marshal Peter Elliott said Haylee is safe, although she may have a bad case of chicken pox.
Potter escaped from a halfway house on May 28. He had served time at Belmont Correctional Institution, for two counts of sexual battery on two children, ages 7 and 9.
Elliot said, “What he did in the past made me sick to my stomach.”
Haylee’s uncle, Cyle Watson, was arrested June 11 for helping Potter escape from the halfway house. Also arrested in connection with the escape was Haylee’s father, James Donathan and his girlfriend, Nicole Kirkpatrick.
U.S. Marshals worked diligently with Richland County sheriff’s deputies to make the arrest and bring Haylee home safely.
HAYLEE DONATHAN RELATED STORIES :
- Grandma given emergency custody of Haylee Donathan
- Video: Roommate says on Nancy Grace she saw Haylee Donathan in bed with mother and sex offender
- Haylee Donathan case: $10,000 reward for the capture of escaped sex offender, Robbi Potter
- Slideshow: Key players in the Haylee Donathan case
- Truck related to Haylee Donathan, her mom, sex offender spotted in Stratton, Colorado
- Video: Haylee Donathan seen with convicted sex offender in Wal-Mart surveillance video
- U.S. Marshals offer reward for capture of sex offender believed to be with Haylee Donathan
- Video: Issues with Jane Velez-Mitchell covers latest in the Haylee Donathan case
- Video: Haylee Donathan's uncle says escape of sex offender began as trick
- Three arrests made in Haylee Donathan case
- Search continues for 3-year-old Haylee Donathan
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Comments
so glad-)))))))))yy
so glad.
i could seriously cry right now
It is such a relief to know they have found the girl alive. Sex crimes against children should be a mandatory life sentence in prison. Robby Potter should have never been let out of jail. The thought of being able to rehabilitate someone like Robby Potter from his perversion and release him back into society is outrageous!!!! Unfortunately Robby Potter is only one of many. Our system has so many cracks when it comes to sex crimes. In America we let perverts out with a slap on the wrist. Vote to legalize castration of child molesters.
Good news. I am so happy this little sweetie has been found. They should toss the mom and her SO boyfriend in jail and throw away the key.
We need a new "Children's Crime Court" for sexual crimes against children, forget "plea bargains" and forcing four-year-olds to testify and be grilled by the SO defense attorneys.
I am soooo glad she is ok and going to be with her gramma. Though it sounds like alot of adults in this little girsl life are messed up. The uncle is in jail for raping a 12 yr old girl.....the father helped this man escape and be free to be with his little daughter...and her own mother allowed this man to be near her dauhter. What is going on!!?? I am going to pray that the gramma gets this little girl far away from them and keeps her safe, healthy and happy. She is a cutie and all children dserve that!!
Candace was a friend of mine, we met in High School. I have been sick for weeks worried about her and Haylee, only to find out Candace went with this guy voluntarily. I will be at her court hearings, and I will be letting her know how angry all of her friends are at her. She had alot of people fearing the worst, and I am sooo disgusted with her!! Cant wait to see little Haylee and make sure she is ok. I hope both Candace and Robbie get locked up for a VERY long time!!
Good job on this article.
YEAH! A great ending for the little girl. She was found alive very very lucky. Now lock up her idiot mom and the pervert!
Her mom doesnt deserve to ever see her again!
I jumped up and down for joy when I found out those two had been caught and that precious adorable little girl was found safe. Lock em up throw away the key she is undeserving of having that child unfortunately i fear the legal system will punish her, rehab her and let her gain custody again but i hope not.
I am happy also. This is great news but there is still other children missing such as Haylee Cummings and now Jada Justice. Let's continue to pray for their safe return.
Our legal system needs to be much harder on these SO. And we need to really get some strict laws on the books to protect these children from their own parents who are willing to put their children in danger for the sake of a relationship. Candice is a drug addict who continues to make very poor choices in her life. She is a gross example of a mother willing to put her own child at risk for the sake of a boyfriend. I hope the system protects Haylee by giving Candice jail time and revoking custody forever. No second chances for Candice!
I'm with you Sarah. It's a cost effective way to stop SO and saves $$ by not having to lock them up. These SO are doing less time then thieves and drug dealers. When it come to SO our system is just wrong.
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