A mother charged with abducting her daughter in 1983 built a quiet life in The Villages, married to a man who became a revered figure in Florida’s Friendliest Hometown.
New details continue to come to light about 66-year-old Debra Newton who was arrested Nov. 24 at her home in the Village of Piedmont. Newton was the “non-custodial parent” of 3-year-old Michelle Newton when she and the little girl disappeared in 1983. Michelle Newton was missing for decades and did not know her true identity. Debra Newton’s arrest triggered a series of events which led her daughter to the discovery of her birth parents. It all played out this past week in a Kentucky courtroom.
Lt. Ben Adams of the Marion County Sheriff’s Office said deputies received an anonymous tip that led to Newton’s arrest at her home in the Village of Piedmont, which is located in the Marion County section of The Villages. Adams said the sheriff’s office had been investigating the mysterious case for weeks prior to Newton’s arrest. At some point DNA was used to confirm her previous identity, which had been shed decades earlier.
“They lost her years and years ago,” said Adams, who serves as the MCSO district commander at the substation at Mulberry Grove Plaza. “We wanted to make sure she didn’t run again.”
Debra Newton took on a new identity…