Parents of abducted 2-year-old charged with kidnapping

UPDATE 12/5/24: Arisha Caldwell entered a guilty plea to all counts on Dec. 3. Her sentencing will be on Feb. 26 at 1 p.m.

Frank Ganis is set for a plea hearing on Jan. 27, 2025.

UPDATE 4/10/24 - Both parents of Arukia Ganis have been charged with first-degree kidnapping, interference with custody and first-degree endangering the welfare of a child according to court documents.

Frank Ganis and Arisha Caldwell will be placed under house arrest with a GPS monitoring device for 24 hours seven days a week.

Ganis and Caldwell were also held without bond.

POLK COUNTY, Mo. -- The Polk County Sheriff's Office (PCSO) and Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP) arrested Frank Ganis and Arisha Caldwell after being suspected of abducting their biological child, 2-year-old Arukia Ganis, during a supervised visit on Tuesday, April 9.

According to PCSO, the parents took authorities on a pursuit in Polk County. Eventually, deputies along with the Missouri State Highway Patrol intervened to stop the vehicle. The toddler was found unharmed.

Arukia Ganis was last seen at around 11:15 a.m. with her caseworker and her biological parents when Caldwell and Gains fled with the child. Surveillance footage showed the girl's parents sneaking her out a side door at Bass Pro.

"In Springfield, we don't we don't see a lot of a true, stranger kidnapping a child that they don't know," said Cris Swaters with the Springfield Police Department. "So, yes, this sort of situation is more common, but is no less urgent."

After initially being reported as a missing person alert, MSHP upgraded that status to an Amber Alert at around 4:45 p.m.

SPD later notified the PCSO that the missing child was spotted south of Humansville in Polk County. At around 5:30 p.m., deputies arrived at the scene to find the suspects in the Ford F-150.

After the driver of the Ford pickup truck did not stop, deputies began a pursuit with the vehicle. During the pursuit, the suspects went south on county roads, then drove north on MO-13 and then turned around at the Polk and St. Clair County line to head south on MO-13.

The truck was finally stopped in Polk County by PCSO and MSHP at approximately 5:40 p.m. Law enforcement found Ganis, Caldwell and the missing child in the truck.

“We are so thankful we were able to find Arukia and return her to safety,” said Polk County Sheriff Danny Morrison. “It was a positive outcome to a scary situation. We’re thankful for the exceptional help we received from both the Springfield Police Department and the Missouri State Highway Patrol. This was truly a team effort.”

Ganis and Caldwell were arrested. It's unclear what charges they'll face as a result of their daughter's alleged abduction.

According to court documents, Ganis is facing existing charges of statutory sodomy with a person less than 14 years old, second-degree kidnapping, first-degree endangering the welfare of a child and unlawful use of a weapon in 2022.

Caldwell is also facing previous charges for multiple counts of statutory sodomy with a person less than 14 years old in 2021.