Rowan Ford (9)-Stella, MO
Rowan Ford a 9-year-old-girl who loved going to the
Baptist church 2 times a week and riding her little blue bicycle turned up missing on Nov. 2, 2007. She lived with her mom Colleen Spears (44) and her Stepfather David Spears in the small village of Stella, MO. The last person to see her was her 25 year old Stepfather David-who babysat the girl as her mom would work the overnight shift at Walmart.
Mom Colleen returned from work and noticed her daughter was gone. She asked Davidhad he seen her. David said no and oddly adds that she may have awakened him in thenight and asked about going over to a friend’s house. (Right, most kids that age are scared to get up and go get a drink from the kitchen!, but this one asked to go hang out with her friends? Is this guy really as dumb as he looked on tv?)
Searchining for Rowan
Rowan remains missing for a week. Mom assisted authorities and did whatever they asked of her. She even takes a polygraph. Stepdad however, is a different story. David Spears doesn’t and it’s discovered he borrowed his mother’s car and drove off, leaving the 9 year old home alone that night. He was gone for 5 hours and doesn’t give a decent alibi as to just where he’d driven off to? Hmmmmm… Meanwhile, the tiny community of Stella, MO continued to search for this child. They were comforting their frightened children, holding candle light vigils and hoping that little Rowan would be found safe and returned back to her mother. After a few days, a blanket of suspicion starts to cover Mr. Spears. Even after his tearful appearance on the news, it does little to ease the growing suspicion, and quiet the whispers among those in town.
People started saying “It looks like he had something to do with it”, “Something doesn’t feel right here” and “This is not looking very good for that poor little girl.” Sadly, what some of the people in Stella were thinking turned out to be true: on Nov. 9 the girl’s body was found in a cave in nearby McDonald county. On Nov.10th, many of the townspeople were not surprised when David Spears (25) was arrested along with his friend Chris Collings (32) for the dispicable crimes against Rowan Ford.
Collings and Spears in Court
The Barry Co. Sheriff said that in an affidavit Mr. Collings said that he and Spears took the child from her home early on Nov.2, 2007 and that they drove her to Chris’ travel trailer( about 10 miles away) where Collings confessed to murdering Rowan. He said that he and Spears raped the child and that one of them (it is not clear yet who) took a netting cord and strangled her to death.
This is so heartbreaking and evil that 2 men could do this to an innocent child that never did anything to anyone. Another child gone forever, without the chance to grow up because of 2 sick perverted monsters-one of which was SUPPOSED to love and PROTECT her. I certainly hope that MO is a death penalty state. If so, then they better make room for these two right now!
Collings and Spears are each charged with the following:
- 1 count of 1st degree murder
- 1 count of forcible rape
- 1 count of statutory rape
Read the Probable Cause Affidavit Here
And charges against Collings for kidnapping maybe pending. Spears will not get this charge, as he was married to victims mother-and therefore had legal guardianship of Rowan. Both are sitting w/o bail in the Barry County Jail where I hope somebody will show them the same treatment they inflicted on poor Rowan.
RIP Rowan
RIP little Rowan, angel.
Article: Rowan Ford’s Last Hours Were “Unhuman”
by Paul Adler, KY3 News
Trailer where Rowan was kidnapped and taken
Detectives think Chris Collings and David Spears took the 9-year-old girl to Collings’ camper. Inside the rundown, dirty camper, Epperly says, the two men raped the girl.
One of the men said she pleaded with them to stop. Investigators believe the two men pulled her out of the camper after they raped her, pulled a cord out of a truck and then strangled her.
“I could not tell you what went through this man’s mind at that time,” Epperly said, “Drinking and drugs and what could go through anybody’s mind to sexually abuse a 9-year-old innocent girl? That’s just unhuman.”
Hearing about Rowan’s last moments, Collings’ brother gets sick to his stomach.
“I’m just kind of wondering if he ain’t covering up for somebody,” said Greg Horton.
_____________________________________________________________________________
Media Sources:
Ky3 News Channel
7 Comments
January 1 ,2008 at 4:27 pm
From the very moment I saw this on YAHOO news, this case, this child has been on my spiritual plane. I have followed the facts about Rowan as I can, HOWEVER from the first moment I viewed the story, I wrote on a paper, Rowan’s name, and that there are more than two people involved. I keep watching the online information, as I live in CA and there is no news of Rowan. I only know what I felt, at the moment read, and still feel now. There is another person involved. I am a mom of three, ages 29, 17, and 12. I can tell you, they have all heard about this from me, and inquire if they have arrested a third person yet. Rowan is in my thoughts, and prayers daily, and quite frankly I think she is waiting for the rest of the shoes to fall. It has been my opinion from day one when I read about Rowan, and it is still today that someone else, besides the disgusting/nasty animals charged, were involved.
January 2 ,2008 at 9:11 am
Hi Bobbi,
Rowan’s rape and murder nearly made me become unglued. I just was sickened and apalled when I read about what happened to her and then to learn her disgusting stepfather and his equally disgusting friend took turns violaing this baby- Just too much evil done to this child. Just like you I had to search online for most of the information-and it was much more informative-especially the Joplin Globe.
I have to say I suspected a third person involved, and it is David Spear’s mother, Rowan’s step-grandmother. I felt she was involved ever since I read in the internet news stories that she never once checked in on Rowan as she “babysat” for David that night. Who wouldn’t look in on their grand child at least once? Spear’s mother I believe knows MUCH more than she is willing to tell and I wish she would come forward with it all.
I also believe that there were other men involved too. It wouldn’t surprise me if it came out that David “shared” little Rowan with other men in his community,not just Collings. I hope everyone involved comes forward and are brought to justice for this. I pray for Rowan’s sisters, other family and friends for healing.
January 21 ,2008 at 10:06 pm
I just don’t trust men around my children. And this is why. If something happens between me and my husband — if he dies or if we divorce or something — I do not intend to marry until my children are out of the house. Personal experience included, all I ever see out of step fathers and step children is bad, nothing good. They’re either lusting after their step kids or are jealous of them or are angry at them because they are not “their” kids…
I’d rather save myself the heartache.
January 22 ,2008 at 8:26 am
I am a single mother of two little boys 5 and 8 months. I love my kids with all my heart and I put them first, but I do date, I would not be able to wait until they are like middle school and high schoolers. Why should I?
I don’t have alot of men around my sons, and I won’t move in with the guy or have him move in with us.
That is where the problem starts, dumb women want to find a
“NuDaddy” for their kids, I DON’T my kids already have their dad.It is up to the mothers to make the right choices and keep their kids safe and when they don’t do that the kids will be the ones to pay.
January 23 ,2008 at 2:31 am
Stating from personal experience again, even these men who seem to be wonderful and loving and honest and religious and great with kids…
cannot be trusted.
My mother trusted my step father completely. She still does. She does NOT believe me when I tell her about things that happened.
He seems to be a great guy. He loves her, I suppose. She loves him, I know. But I also know he’s a lustful guy and I know he doesn’t like her spending too much time with her kids.
She wasn’t trying to find me a new daddy. She wanted a man that loved her, my dad wasn’t a great husband so it’s understandable. Well her new husband acted(still acts) like he loves her. But *I* know what he did and what he’s done. If we weren’t around perhaps they would have had the greatest relationship.
Thank God I was 15 when they got married. At 18 I was out.
*smh* I’d rather not put my kids through it.
July 7 ,2008 at 6:00 am
Well this made me sick, death as a charge for collins is not quite enough as death may be a “way out” for him i think that he should be tortured and raped and again tortured then raped……
May your soul rest in peace Rowan as you are the angel that was sent to be human for 9 years……
with all my respect for all the women who commented here, not all of your fingers share the same tall, that is don’t blame the mom if she needed a man in her house.!!!!
August 17 ,2008 at 1:22 pm
I followed the news articles and saw some interviews of local people when the search was under way.
There was one particular interview where it was stated that Missouri Child Services had been notified that the child was in danger.
Nobody seems to have mentioned that simple fact in the previous comments and observations – which – had that been the case and the report been acted on – that may have prevented the tragedy that unfolded.
Now – when my wife and I tried to help a child and called the Missouri ‘Hot Line’ concerning the abuse and neglect – in accordance with the State Statutes as defined below – the person answering the phone responded with, “Did you see any bruises or blood.”
Here follows Missouri definitions of abuse and neglect.
In other words – the administrators of Missouri’s Child Protective Services have redefined State Statutes they are responsible for upholding.
I feel the system is broken and have seen reports and avowals by Missouri office holders how the system is ‘fixed’ and that occurred in as little as a year before this tragedy. But there is nothing in the news about anyone being charged or even reprimanded for incompetency in this case. Provided there was hotline contact and reports made. Anyone that reads this and will verify one way or the other, please share the information with me.
I sent McCain a campaign contribution and have received solicitations from Missouri Politicians. I have sent no money as that would present a BIG conflict of conscience for me. A proof that there was no neglect by the Missouri Hotline people would soften my opinion considerably.
You may go to the web site and see the information I have inserted below by the following link.
http://www.childwelfare.gov/systemwide/laws_policies/statutes/define.cfm
May you be informed and should you know of a child in danger – don’t think a call to the Hotline will solve anything. Follow up with letters to the Governor, State Senators and State Attorney General. The local Sheriff might be a good person to notify. Whomever you know in any position of authority, notify. Pray there will be a true heart and a person of compassion somewhere that can help.
Notify them with a notarized numbered copy in the fashion of ‘One of Five’ and return receipt requested. Now it’s verified you made a report of the situation.
Should there be a lack of response and the child’s safety remain a point of concern, present your notarized statements to the news media. Run an ad and publish in the news paper. Do what it takes to get the public’s attention.
Missouri
Child Abuse and Neglect
Definitions of Child Abuse and Neglect
To better understand this issue and to view it across States, see the Definitions of Child Abuse and Neglect: Summary of State Laws (PDF – 442 KB) publication.
Physical Abuse
Citation: Ann. Stat. § 210.110
Abuse means any physical injury inflicted on a child by other than accidental means by those responsible for the child’s care, custody, and control.
Neglect
Citation: Ann. Stat. § 210.110
Neglect means failure to provide, by those responsible for the care, custody, and control of the child, the proper or necessary support, education as required by law, nutrition, or medical, surgical, or any other care necessary for the child’s well-being.
Sexual Abuse
Citation: Ann. Stat. § 210.110
Abuse includes sexual abuse.
Emotional Abuse
Citation: Ann. Stat. § 210.110
Abuse includes emotional abuse inflicted on a child by those responsible for the child’s care, custody, and control.
Abandonment
This issue is not addressed in the statutes reviewed.
Standards for Reporting
Citation: Ann. Stat. § 210.110
A report is required when it appears that the child suffers from injury inflicted by other than accidental means.