UPDATE 4:45 PM – SPD says the missing juvenile alert for Arukia Ganis has been upgraded to an Amber Alert.
Original Story:
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – The Springfield Police Department is asking for help locating a missing two-year-old named Arukia Ganis who is in the custody of the State of Missouri.
SPD says Ganis was last seen at Wonders of Wildlife at 11:15 a.m. with her parents, 36-year-old Frank Ganis and 33-year-old Arisha Caldwell.
The parents were last seen leaving Bass Pro Shops with Arukia Ganis at 11:22 a.m. through an exit towards Campbell Avenue. Police suspect that they might have driven off in a silver Mercedes SUV with Vermont license plate HFL245.
Two-year-old Arukia Ganis is described as being 2.5-3 feet tall and weighing around 30-40 pounds. She has brown hair, pigtails, bangs and removable leg braces.
Frank Ganis is described as being six feet tall and weighing 190 pounds. He has brown hair and hazel eyes.
Caldwell is 5’1 and weighs 120 pounds while having blonde hair and green eyes.
Frank Ganis and Arisha Caldwell both also have criminal backgrounds.
Frank Ganis was charged with three felonies, including second-degree kidnapping, endangering the welfare of a child and unlawful use of a weapon in August 2022. He was also charged with thirteen felony counts of statutory sodomy or attempted statutory sodomy with a person less than 14 years old in May 2022. Neither of the charges resulted in a conviction.
Arisha Caldwell was also charged, but not convicted, with three felony counts of statutory sodomy or attempted statutory sodomy with a person less than 14 years old in August 2021.
According to a report from the MSHP, Caldwell and Ganis were on a supervised visit with the child. They have a scheduled court date on April 10 related to the custody of the child.
Anyone with information relating to the child’s whereabouts or the whereabouts of Caldwell or Frank Ganis should call 911 or make an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers at 417-869-TIPS (8477) or online at p3tips.com.