One of two women missing and considered endangered by Oklahoma authorities was reportedly involved in a bitter custody dispute, according to a report.
27-year-old Veronica Butler, and a preacher's wife, Jillian Kelley disappeared while they were traveling across state lines to pick up Butler's young children.
The women, who police beleive were friends, were traveling 16 miles from Elkhart, Kansas to Eva, Oklahoma to pick up thre kids together before they disappeared 3 miles away from their destination.
A person close to Butler said she was supposed to pick up her 6-year-old daughter and 8-year-old son to celebrate her daughter's birthday, according to KVII-TV.
Their car was found abandoned Saturday near Highway 95 and Road L, according to the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.
Court documents reviewed by the Christian Post allegedly showed that Butler, the father of her children as well as his family were involved in a bitter custody dispute.
In a motion reportedly filed last November, the children's paternal grandmother opposed any adjustment in the supervised visitation arrangement Butler had with the children.
She claimed that the children had been exposed to sexual abuse while under her care, according to the report.
The Oklahoma Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) continues to investigate the case.
Many questions remain unanswered, including the condition of the car when it was found, what was found inside, whether there are any suspects and the whereabouts of the children.
Kelley is the wife of a pastor at Hugoton First Christian Church in Kansas. Heath Kelley recently agreed to serve as the new pastor of Willow Christian Church in Nebraska. Both churches have been holding prayer services for the missing women.
