SALT LAKE CITY — A federal grand jury in Utah has charged a non-custodial mother for allegedly kidnapping a child and taking her from Utah to live at a religious compound located in Missouri.
Court records state that 53-year-old Kimberly Dell Davidson-Drolet of Murray, Utah is accused of taking a child from her custodial father to Springfield, Missouri from January 2023 through June 2024.
According to court documents, Drolet was undergoing divorce and child custody hearings with her ex-husband before she took the child, ignoring a court order regarding the custody of the child.
Drolet was assisted by 53-year-old Kristine Merrill of Murray, Utah, 30-year-old Jaxson Davidson of Washington, Utah and 23-year-old Dallas Davidson of Washington, Utah.
In January 2023, Drolet and J. Davidson of Washington, Utah, left the state of Utah for Missouri with the assistance of Merrill. A formal complaint says for over 14 months, Drolet devised an elaborate plan with Merrill, J. Davidson and D. Davidson to take the child out of Utah.
Drolet was at large for over a year as she and the three co-conspirators hid her and the child’s location from law enforcement and the child’s father. She also used various cellular and electronic devices such as a burner flip phone as well as the USPS to evade capture.
Before Drolet’s arrest, she was seen with the child, who was found living at a religious compound in Missouri. The compound is led by Paul Dean, who the complaint says is the founder of a Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS) “religious-type cult.” The complaint also states that Dean is related to Drolet.
Drolet, Merrill, Jaxson Davidson and Dallas Davidson are now charged with kidnapping and conspiracy to commit kidnapping.
Drolet will appear in federal court in Salt Lake City, Utah on August 13, 2024, at 1:45 p.m. J. Davidson, D. Davidson and Merrill have yet to be scheduled for court.
