A 2-year-old girl was reportedly subjected to abuse, involving being beaten with a paddle, shot with a BB gun, and handed over to a meth dealer by her mother. More than three years later, her whereabouts remain unknown to police.
London Kerr, then 2-years-old, was last seen in April 2022 at a southeast Oklahoma City home.
The girl, who would now be five years old, is still classified as missing and in danger. Officials from the Oklahoma City Police continue their efforts to locate her.
In the midst of this distressing search, her mother, Ashley Rowland, 39, and her boyfriend, Joshua Denton, 40, were arrested on Tuesday facing multiple complaints of child abuse and sexual abuse.
Despite their arrests, police say there’s been no credible information about London’s whereabouts.
The chilling case began to come to light a year after London was last seen when the Oklahoma Department of Human Services tried to serve a pickup order in April 2023 but failed to find her, as indicated by court documents.
Rowland initially told authorities her daughter was staying with her biological father in Georgia, however that statement was later proven false.
In a follow-up interview, Rowland allegedly admitted to giving London to a man named ‘Carlos,’ who she said had sold her methamphetamine in 2022.
London Kerr, who was 2 years old at the time, was last seen in April 2022 at an apartment complex in southeast Oklahoma City. She is now considered missing and endangered, the Oklahoma City Police report.
Her mother, Ashley Rowland, 39, and her boyfriend, Joshua Denton, 40, were taken into custody on Tuesday on multiple charges related to child and sexual abuse.
‘He was possibly London’s father, but Ashley was not sure. Carlos had told Ashley he was going back to Mexico,’ her arrest affidavit stated.
Rowland also told police she did not give Carlos any of London’s personal identification documents, The Oklahoman reported.
Oklahoma City police have not yet confirmed Carlos’s existence or involvement.
Rowland was first arrested on a child abandonment charge back in October 2024 but was bonded out.
She later admitted to police that she had lied and that Carlos did not sell or use meth.
‘We don’t have very credible information from the people that assumed responsibility or had custody of this child,’ Oklahoma City Police Sargeant Dillon Quirk told WFSB.
‘So, when we take over an investigation, we have to go back and look at what has already been documented.’
Investigators eventually uncovered additional disturbing allegations of abuse in interviews with other children connected to Rowland and Denton.
According to affidavits, a 15-year-old boy told police Denton hit London with a wooden paddle and shot her with a BB gun.
He also said Denton duct-taped him to a chair, beat him with a belt, threatened to kill him if he spoke to anyone and even threatened to ‘make him disappear.’
Despite their arrests, police say there’s been no credible information about London’s whereabouts. Pictured: London Kerr before she went missing
The multi-layered case began to unravel in April 2023, when the Oklahoma Department of Human Services attempted to serve a pickup order and was unable to locate London
Rowland initially told authorities her daughter was staying with her biological father in Georgia, however that statement was later proven false. Pictured: Ashley Rowland’s southeast Okalahoma home where Department of Human Services believed to be where London Kerr was living before her disappearance
In March 2025, Denton’s 8-year-old daughter and 10-year-old son were also interviewed.
The two children alleged that their father poured hot sauce in London’s eyes, locked her in a closet, and threatened to beat them if they told Rowland.
The girl also said Denton had sexually abused her and warned her she would die if she spoke out.
The two minors also told investigators Rowland was aware of the abuse. Rowland, however, denied knowledge of the abuse, and insisted Denton was never violent toward London.
Moore Police later searched a storage unit tied to Rowland and Denton, where they recovered a BB gun, a wooden paddle labeled ‘The Last Resort,’ a pink baby blanket, diapers, a pink shoe, and a car seat, the Oklahoman reported.
Complicating the timeline further, a daycare worker told police in early 2025 that she last saw London with Rowland at a gas station over two years earlier.
At the time, the worker noted visible bruises on London’s head, but according to the affidavit, Rowland said her toddler’s injuries were from a car accident.
Despite extensive searches of properties, storage units, and electronic devices, no trace of London has been found.
Police said the case is now being led by Oklahoma City detectives, with assistance from the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.
According to affidavits, a 15-year-old boy told police Denton hit London (pictured) with a wooden paddle and shot her with a BB gun
If still alive, London would turn six in early September. Pictured: An age-progressed photo of London Kerr at 5 years old, posted by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
Moore Police previously worked the case but turned it over after exhausting leads.
‘Time is of the essence, still hoping for a positive turnout in this case, and we don’t have a lot to go off of right now, which makes it extremely difficult,’ Quirk told KOCO-TV.
If still alive, London would turn six in early September.
Denton now faces nine felony charges, including six counts of child abuse, one count of forcible sodomy, one count of lewd or indecent acts to a child, and one count of a pattern of criminal offenses.
Rowland has been charged with enabling child abuse.
Anyone with information about London’s whereabouts is urged to contact the Oklahoma City Police Homicide Tip Line at 405-297-1200.
