WINONA, Minn. — The weeks and months that followed the disappearance of Winona, Minnesota mother Maddi Kingsbury have been filled with legal wrangling over the custody and protection of her 5-year-old daughter and 2-year-old son.
Finally, Kingsbury's father and stepmother have come to an agreement with Adam Fravel – the children's father who's charged with killing Kingsbury – to award temporary sole legal and physical custody of the kids.
In return, Winona County will close the child protection case that was opened in the days following Maddi's disappearance in order to get the kids out of Fravel's care, and Fravel's visitation rights will be suspended due to the fact he is in custody.
The proposed stipulation and temporary order were filed in Winona County Court on Thursday and a motion hearing to argue the issues was canceled.
Before he was arrested and charged with murder, Fravel was fighting the child protection case and even filed for custody of the children. He is the biological father, but he and Maddi were never married so he did not establish custodial rights.
Maddi grew up with her father David Kingsbury, whose wife Cathy helped raise Maddi starting in 2008 when Maddi was 12. The couple has been caring for the children since April 4, five days after Maddi disappeared, and David and Cathy both retired from their jobs to care for the children full-time. Maddi's biological mom Krista is able to visit.
Judge Mary Leahy, who is presiding over the custody case and the child protection case, has expressed frustration in court over the various court filings and stated her belief that a family court resolution such as this is most appropriate while the criminal case plays out.
Fravel is scheduled to be back in court on murder charges in July.
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