BRIANNA MONIZ - 12 yo - West Chester OH

Amber Alert Canceled For Lakota Student

West Chester Police have canceled an Amber Alert for a 12 year old girl who left school property with the brother of her mother's boyfriend this morning. The girl was found safe inside the school and now police are looking for the man who took her.

Officials say Brianna Moniz, a student at Lakota Ridge Junior School, arrived at school on a bus around 8:25 a.m. She then was seen getting into a vehicle driven by Rob Rethamel, who is the brother of her mom's boyfriend. The two of them drove off.

An official with West Chester Township says an Amber Alert was issued around 10:30 a.m. It was canceled at 11:10 a.m. Officers are now trying to determine when Moniz arrived back on campus and how she got back into the school building without notice.

Officers are now looking for Rob Rethamel for questioning. No charges have been filed in the case.

2:38 AM Friday, October 15, 2010

WEST CHESTER TWP. — A 12-year-old girl reportedly kidnapped Thursday morning from Lakota Ridge Junior School, prompting an Amber Alert, returned to school about 2½ hours later, according to police.

West Chester police say Rob Rethamel of West Chester Twp. is wanted for questioning in the incident.

Police say around 8:25 a.m. Rethamel, the brother of the girl’s mother’s boyfriend, was suspected of picking the girl up from school without authorization and taking her from the property. Police said he does not have a prior criminal record, other than some traffic violations.

The girl was returned to her school just after 11 a.m., when the Amber Alert was canceled. Police say she walked in an unknown entrance and returned to her classroom. They are reviewing security camera footage.

Lakota Local Schools spokeswoman Laura Kursman said the girl was seen prior to entering the building by school officials, who questioned why she was leaving the grounds with a man. They contacted the parents, who also were concerned, she said.

School administrators sent out a message to parents through the auto call system to alert them of the situation, and also met with students.

Police say the investigation is ongoing. No charges have been filed.

Police Find Man In Amber Alert Investigation

October 17, 2010



WEST CHESTER, Ohio -- A man wanted for questioning in an Amber Alert case is in custody, according to authorities.West Chester police said 39-year-old Robert Rethamel was arrested on rape charges Saturday. Officers said the rape charge stems from an unrelated incident.On Thursday, police said Rethamel picked up a 12-year-old girl from Lakota Ridge Junior High School.An Amber Alert was issued after school officials could not find her.Investigators said the girl later returned to the school but Rethamel was nowhere to be found.Police said they have learned that Rethamel's brother is dating the girl's mother.Detectives have not said whether Rethamel will be charged in connection with the girl's disappearance.

Poster's Note: Now that I see this pic of the suspect I see that the pic in the first post was of the suspect, not the victim.

The man suspected of taking a 12-year-old girl from Lakota Ridge Junior School last week, prompting an Amber Alert, was arrested over the weekend on an unrelated rape charge, according to West Chester police.


Rob Rethamel, 39, of West Chester Township, was taken into custody at a trailer park off Ohio 747 and Port Union Road just after midnight Saturday, said Lt. Matt Beiser.Rethamel was held over the weekend at the Butler County jail in lieu of $20,130 bond, jail officials said early Monday. He is scheduled to make his first appearance in Butler County Area III Court via video at 9 a.m.Other than to stress that the rape charge was not related to the Amber Alert situation, police declined to discuss the rape case early Monday. Those details, Beiser said, would be released later in the day once a department spokesman arrived.No charges have been filed in connection with the incident Thursday, Beiser added.

Rethamel, the brother of the seventh-grader’s mother’s boyfriend, picked the girl up from school without permission about 8:30 a.m., police said last week.

She returned to school about a half hour later.

Rape charge unrelated to Amber Alert

Man accused of taking 12-year-old from school jailed in another case

October 18, 2010

WEST CHESTER TWP. – The man suspected of taking a 12-year-old girl from Lakota Ridge Junior School last week, prompting an Amber Alert, was arrested over the weekend on an unrelated rape charge, according to West Chester police.

Rob Rethamel, 39, of West Chester Township, was taken into custody at a trailer park off Ohio 747 and Port Union Road just after midnight Saturday, said Lt. Matt Beiser.Rethamel was held over the weekend at the Butler County jail in lieu of $20,130 bond, jail officials said early Monday. He is scheduled to make his first appearance in Butler County Area III Court via video at 9 a.m.Other than to stress that the rape charge was not related to the Amber Alert situation, police declined to discuss the rape case early Monday. Those details, Beiser said, would be released later in the day once a department spokesman arrived.No charges have been filed in connection with the incident Thursday, Beiser added.

Rethamel, the brother of the seventh-grader’s mother’s boyfriend, picked the girl up from school without permission about 8:30 a.m., police said last week.

She returned to school about a half hour later.

A Butler County grand jury will decide whether to indict a 39-year-old man on child rape charges.
Robert Rethamel, of West Chester Twp., appeared Tuesday, Oct. 19, before Judge Dan Haughey in county Area III Court, where he waived his right to a preliminary hearing.
Rethamel is accused of raping a girl younger than 13 on multiple occasions between the dates of Aug. 1 and Oct. 9 in West Chester Twp., police reports show.
Rethamel’s defense attorney on Tuesday asked the judge to lower his $500,000 bound, arguing Rethamel had no prior record, was not a flight risk nor at risk for committing future offenses.
“The court appreciates there are allegations at this point, but the court also has an obligation to protect the public. It’s the court’s understanding that the allegation here is more than one occurrence,” Haughey said, denying a bond reduction.
West Chester police say the rape charges are not in connection to the suspected kidnapping Oct. 14 of a 12-year-old girl from Lakota Ridge Junior School. A nationwide Amber Alert was canceled when the girl was returned to school two hours after she allegedly left with Rethamel, who was arrested Saturday morning during a traffic stop in the township. Police said he was wanted for questioning, and that he is the only suspect in the incident. No charges have been filed relating to the Oct. 14 incident.
Investigations in both cases are ongoing, police said.

twinkletoe wrote:I think he raped Brianna and they are not saying that to protect her because she is a minor. Given the time line, it is probably not the first time she was his victim.

---As my wise Mom used to say, A leopard never changes its' spots!