‘This is a tragedy’: Two found dead in Kansas home after child abducted

TOPEKA (KSNT) – Police say two people are dead Tuesday following a recent AMBER Alert in Topeka.

The Topeka Police Department (TPD) held a live press conference at 1 p.m. on July 22 at Northeast Division Street and Northeast Chester Avenue in the Oakland neighborhood. A city spokesman said this press conference is related to a recent child abduction.

TPD Chief Chris Vallejo said an active homicide investigation is underway following the AMBER Alert during the press conference. He said police were called around 9:50 a.m. on July 22 to a home in the 500 block of Wabash on a welfare check.

Police found two people, a woman and man, dead in the home. A two-year-old child that lived at the home was not located and law enforcement issued the AMBER Alert a short time later.

Vallejo said police are still investigating the cause of death for the two individuals. The identity of the homicide victims will be released once next of kin notifications are made.

“This is a tragedy, and I know the residents around this area are concerned about this, about this event,” Vallejo said. “It’s not something that happens every day, and I feel for them. I just want them to know that we are going to bring this investigation to its full conclusion and we will bring justice for the victims with whatever information we found out and there is no ongoing threat and the Topeka Police Department and supporting departments are on this case.”

The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) reported that a missing local two-year-old was taken from the 500 block of Wabash and was last seen on Friday, July 18 in an AMBER Alert issued on Tuesday, July 22. Law enforcement in Mattoon, Illinois located the child, along with a suspect, around 12:25 p.m. on July 22.

The Mattoon Police Department said it arrested 32-year-old Christopher Barnshaw for the abduction. He is in custody for aggravated kidnapping and unlawful use of a weapon charges in the Coles County Jail.

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