Poplar Bluff Police Find Missing Girl

A Poplar Bluff man is behind bars after allegedly kidnapping a girl Wednesday morning. 

The Missouri State Highway Patrol, Butler County Sheriff and Poplar Bluff Police arrested registered sex offender Jeffrey Dean Shelton at 1:50 Wednesday afternoon.   Darron Moore of the Poplar Bluff police department says they found Dean with the girl about ten miles south of Poplar Bluff.

“All I know is that members of the Poplar Bluff police department, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, and the Sheriff's department conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle," said Moore.

Authorities issued an Amber alert after Abigail Berthoff disappeared from her home yesterday morning.  The kidnapper had no relation to Berthoff or her family. Berthoff was taken to the Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center, and sustained no visible injuries.  

Moore says Shelton is currently being held in the Poplar Bluff Police Department. Charges are pending through the Butler County Prosecutor’s office.