Father seeks help locating 3-year-old daughter

SOUTH PADRE ISLAND, Texas (ValleyCentral) — "Wherever you are, Rilee, know that I'm fighting for you. I love you, and I'm not ever going to give up on you. I'm still here, and I'll see you soon.”

That is the plea of one South Padre Island father, Dakota Crouch, who has been looking for his daughter since July 2024. The last time he saw his daughter was when he returned her back home to his mother on July 2.

Just two days later, when he went to pick her up, both his daughter and the child's mother were gone. He claims he has been having a difficult time getting the police to help.

"Her phone goes straight to voicemail," he adds. "Her own counsel withdrew from the case because she was unable to get a hold of her. The counselor involved in the case wasn’t able to get her to appear and kept giving her excuses.”

It has been almost two months since Crouch has heard from his estranged wife or daughter, 3-year-old, Rilee June Crouch. His daughter's mother, Lillian Maria Crouch, also failed to show up to the court hearing in the parent's custody battle.

He says law enforcement has also not known their whereabouts since July 11.

"This was the third go around of times that she has denied me visitations," Crouch said. "She had already been warned by the judge to please stop this and this time it has taken a turn for the worse. She is unable to be located at all.”

Crouch fears that Lillian and Rilee may already be in Mexico since his wife has dual citizenship.

He is also frustrated that the police have not done more like contact his wife’s family or issued an Amber Alert. He believes this is because his case is being considered a civil issue.

Savannah Gonzalez, a family attorney from Hidalgo County, says these kinds of cases are common and when it comes to police there is not much that can be done.

"It's that they cannot necessarily arrest the other person," Gonzalez said. "All they can seek to do is obtain physical possession of the child who's with the other parent. Amber Alerts are something reserved for extreme cases when a child is believed to be in immediate harm or danger in a kidnapping situation, not every custody situation where the parent is not complying rises to the level of an Amber Alert.“

Gonzalez says it is important in cases like these for parents to have any difficulties they are having with the other parent in writing and report it to authorities. When it comes to custody battles, fathers tend to run into more issues.

“I think the fathers generally do have a little bit of a tougher time being able to go in there and say I should have possession of this infant or this newborn because mom is a danger," Gonzalez said. "You know, our society is one that historically has favored mothers, and sometimes fathers do have a little bit of a harder mountain to climb.”

A missing person's bulletin for Rilee has been issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety with Lilian listed as the abductor. A warrant has also been issued for the mother by a Cameron County judge.

Crouch hopes to see his daughter again before she turns four on September 28.

“All I'm asking for is that you know, I can build that bond and that relationship with my daughter," Crouch said. "She's going to be four in September, and I really like to spend her fourth birthday with her.”