Haylee Donathan, Candace Watson Found at Twelve Tribes Ranch in California

June 24, 2009 by Saul Relative

San Diego Union-Times

Police Tipped to Haylee Donathan's Whereabouts by Twelve Tribes Resident Who Recognized Fugitives on a Billboard

Haylee Donathan, the 4-year-old Ohio girl that went missing May 28 with her mother and a convicted sex offender, was found Tuesday at the Morning Star Ranch ran by the Twelve Tribes in California, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune.

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The nationwide search for Haylee Donathan, her mother Candace Watson, and sex offender Robbi Potter ended at a Christian ranch (the Twelve Tribes) outside Los Angeles after authorities followed up on a tip.

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Haylee Donathan was unharmed.

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A resident at the Twelve Tribes ranch, a Christian retreat, saw the pictures of Haylee Donathan and the two adults on a billboard and recognized them from the ranch. They immediately called the Twelve Tribes ranch manager, who checked the plates of the pickup the fugitives arrived in. After verifying the plates and that Candace Watson and Robbi Potter were indeed visitors at the ranch, the manager called 911.

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Police responded and found Haylee Donaldson unharmed and in good spirits, according to Deputy U.S. Marshal Omar Castillo. He added that she may have just gotten over the chicken pox but otherwise seemed fine. Haylee Donathan will be returned to Ohio and placed in custody of her grandmother, who was awarded emergency custody of the child as a precaution pending developments in the case.

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Castillo said the three had been at the Twelve Tribes Ranch for about a week. According to a second tipster, the three may have even visited a Wild Animal Park together a few days previous to their discovery and capture. The U. S. Marshall Service had a $10,000 reward posted to go to anyone with information leading to the whereabouts of Haylee Donathan.

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The hunt for Haylee Donathan and her mother, Candace Watson, began on May 28, when Robbi Potter walked away from the halfway house he was assigned to in Mansfield, Ohio. Three people were later arrested for being involved in Potter's escape, including Haylee Donathan's father and uncle. The uncle, who served time in prison with Robbi Potter on sex offender charges, said he believed his niece could be in some form of danger.

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I think we were all ready for a happy ending. What a relief.