Who is Michelle Newton? 3-year-old missing Kentucky girl found 40 years later, reunites with dad

Investigators on finding missing children decades later

A woman accused of kidnapping her young daughter more than 40 years ago in Kentucky has been arrested in Central Florida after living under a different name for decades, authorities said. Officials emphasized the importance of public tips in long-term missing persons cases, noting that continued attention can lead to resolutions even decades later.

MARION COUNTY, Fla. - It wasn't until Michelle Newton was in her mid-40s that she discovered she was a missing child who disappeared from Louisville, Ky in 1983.

Now, 42 years later, Michelle had a chance to reconnect with her father and extended family. Michelle's mother was arrested in her abduction. 

The disappearance of Michelle Newton

What's next:

Michelle Newton's father, Joseph, last saw his daughter in 1983. Michelle was reported missing after her mom, Debra, took her out of the state. Debra told Joseph she was relocating to Georgia "to begin a new job and prepare a new home for the family," according to a news release issued Monday by the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office.

There was a "final phone call" sometime between 1984 and 1985 between Debra and Joseph. After that, the two disappeared and were not heard from for decades, the news release said.

Michelle Newton and her father Joseph Newton were reunited after Michelle was reported missing over 40 years ago. 

Reuniting with her father

It's not known when or how Michelle realized she was the missing girl people were trying to find. As an adult, after discovering her "true family history," the sheriff's office said, Michelle – who had been living under a different name outside of Kentucky – contacted the Jefferson County sheriff. 

The sheriff's office helped facilitate Michelle's reunion with her father. 

Detectives with the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office – located outside Louisville – were trying to solve this missing persons case for over 40 years. 

"This is the kind of case you see once in a law-enforcement career," Col. Healey said. "Detectives refused to let the trail go cold. Their work—and the courage of a Crime Stoppers tipster—brought a daughter home to her family after four decades."

Efforts to find Michelle: Timeline

After Michelle and Debra disappeared, Debra was charged with custodial interference. She was indicted and then wanted by the FBI for "unlawful flight to avoid prosecution." At one point, she was listed among the FBI's "Top 8 Most Wanted parental-kidnapping fugitives."

In 2000 – 17 years later – the case was dismissed because the Commonwealth was unable to reach Joseph. In 2005, Michelle was removed from the national missing children databases, the sheriff's office said.

A family member asked for help from the sheriff's office in 2015, which allowed the case to be "re-examined." The case was reopened and re-indicted in 2016.

In 2025, detectives received a "breakthrough" with a Crime Stoppers tip. A tip identified Debra Newton as a 66-year-old woman in Marion County living as "Sharon." She had remarried, built a new life and had retired to The Villages with her husband, the sheriff's office said. 

Debra Newton, 67, was arrested on Dec. 15 in connection to a 42-year disappearance of her daughter. 

Michelle Newton's mother arrested

Debra Newton was arrested on Dec. 15 in The Villages after she was stopped by deputies at her front yard while taking her dog out. Newton's neighbor was seen on body camera joking that deputies were there for Newton, who was called "Sharon." 

Deputies confirmed they were there to arrest "Sharon," who appeared confused about the situation, even telling her husband that she didn't know why she was being arrested. 

It's not known what prompted Debra to leave her husband and their home. It's also not known when Debra moved to Florida or remarried. 

Jefferson County deputies were notified through a Crime Stoppers tip that a woman resembling Debra was living in The Villages. The tip – which identified a possible match for a 66-year-old woman using a different name – allowed law enforcement to compare a recent photo of Debra to a 1983 image of her. DNA from Debra's sister was also a 99% match to the Florida suspect. 

Newton was extradited to Kentucky, where she faces a custodial interference felony offense, which carries no statute of limitations. 

Michelle, her father and the Newton family were present in court, the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office said.