Oklahoma County Police department arrest two people in connection with London Kerr, a 2-year-old Oklahoma toddler who was subjected to a barrage of abuse at the hands of her parents. The horrific abuse included being shot with a BB gun and physically assaulted with a paddle. All of which culminated in her disappearance and most likely her abduction into human trafficking. Authorities allege that London endured brutal physical abuse before her mother traded her to a meth dealer. Law enforcement, child advocates, and the public continue to demand justice and answers about her fate.
Parents Arrested for Connection to Child’s Disappearance
Oklahoma City police arrested Ashley Ceejay Rowland, 39, and her boyfriend, Joshua Denton, 40 on 5th August 2025 in connection with her abuse and disappearance. Investigators connected the couple to years of mistreatment before the child’s disappearance. The toddler, Londor Kerr, was last seen with her mother’s meth dealer in 2022. According to The Oklahoman, Rowland and Denton’s troubling history with drugs and violence eventually culminated in London’s disappearance.
The Exchange of London Kerr for Drugs
Investigators learned that Rowland admitted handing London to a man known only as “Carlos.” She claimed she traded her child with the dealer in exchange for meth. Police reports state that Carlos allegedly told her he intended to take London to Mexico. This revelation shocked the community, raising fears that London may have been trafficked. The lack of identifying documents, as noted by Rowland, has made recovery efforts more difficult and slowed investigative progress.
A Pattern of Abuse Before Disappearance
Testimonies from Denton and Rowland’s teenage children revealed a continuous, horrific pattern of abuse inflicted on London. They described how the couple shot London with BB guns, beat her with a wooden paddle, and locked her in a closet for punishment. Police later found the paddle at the home. Disturbingly, it carried the inscription “The Last Resort,” suggesting it had been a deliberately chosen weapon to hit and discipline London. These details demonstrate how Denton and Rowland’s actions go beyond just negligence toward unimaginable cruelty.
Denton’s Severe Abuse Claims
Investigators also uncovered independent claims of severe abuse involving Denton against the 4 other children. The OCPD interviewed Rowland’s 2 sons, 15 and 16, and Denton’s son and daughter, 10 and 8, respectively. They disclosed to the OCPD that he forced London to eat hot peppers and even poured hot sauce into her eyes.
Beyond his cruelty to London, Denton’s daughter disclosed that Denton had sexually abused her. The daughter also alleged that while Denton raped and sodomized her, Rowland “walked in and saw them naked”. This was all according to a later forensic interview conducted. She later revealed that Rowland told her London was destined to live with her father a year prior to his alleged sexual assault of the daughter, now 8. Court affidavits confirm Denton faces serious sexual assault charges in addition to multiple child abuse counts.
Search for Missing Child Intensifies
Authorities continue to search for London, who would have turned 6 in September 2025. Police remain cautious yet hopeful. Oklahoma City Police Sgt. Dillon Quirk told KOCO-TV, “We don’t have very credible information from the people that assumed responsibility or had custody of this child, so when we take over an investigation, we have to go back and look at what has already been documented,”. “So, time is of the essence.” Investigators are appealing for information from the public and working with federal agencies, fearing London may have been smuggled across borders shortly after she disappeared.
Failed Welfare Checks Reveal London Missing
London’s absence went unreported for months before authorities realized she was missing. The Oklahoma Department of Human Services attempted to carry out a pickup order in April 2023, but they could not find her. This discovery triggered deeper investigation and ultimately exposed Rowland’s horrific abuse she and Denton subjected their children. The delay between London’s last sighting and official recognition of her disappearance has raised questions about oversight in Oklahoma’s child protection system.
Severe Criminal Charges Filed
Denton now faces 9 felony charges, including 6 child abuse counts, 1 charge of forcible sodomy, and another involving lewd acts toward a child. Rowland faces a felony count of enabling child abuse. She also carries unresolved charges of child abandonment from 2024. Denton has his bail set at $500,000 and Rowland’s bail set $300,000. Prosecutors argue that both individuals created a dangerous environment for London that ultimately led to her disappearance and possible trafficking.
Update: Court Appearance and Continued Search for London Kerr
Accoerding to KOCO, Ashley Rowland and Joshua Denton are set to appear in court on September 9th 2025 in connection with the disappearance of London Kerr, who has been missing for three years and would now be about five years old The Oklahoma City Police Department has assumed control of the investigation and released an age-progressed image, urging public tips.
Both are charged separately with child neglect; Rowland initially gave false statements about the child’s whereabouts and alleged the child was with a man named “Carlos,” later retracting those claims. Reports from the couple’s other children describe alleged abuse, including Denton hitting London with a paddle and duct-taping and striking another child
London Kerr is still missing. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children released an age accelerted photo of London, showing what she could look like now.
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