Woman told police she was ‘concerned’ for missing Trenton teen

A Trenton detective testified a Middletown woman told police she had “nothing to do with the disappearance” of a missing teen, but two months later the teen was found living with the woman’s sister.

Detective Sean Gill said Laura Stevens, of Middletown, told officers she was “concerned” for the safety of Loretta Norvell, 17, who was reported missing Jan. 14 by her aunt and guardian, Nina Norvell Berry, from their Trenton home.

Based on Stevens’ statement, the police department increased its investigation, and between Feb. 14-March 14, the Trenton police and fire departments spent nearly $6,000 in overtime searching for Norvell, Gill said.

Gill said the department spent “a lot of work” on this case.

He was the only witness who testified Wednesday afternoon in Middletown Municipal Court. Stevens was charged with making false alarms, a felony, obstructing justice, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and falsification. After the hearing, visiting Middletown Municipal Court Judge Robert Messham bound the case over to the Butler County Grand Jury.

Her attorney, Samuel Borst, argued his client didn’t cause Trenton’s public safety to spend that much in OT.

Middletown prosecutor Ashley Bretland said after Stevens told police she was concerned for Norvell’s well-being, the police department “stepped up” its investigation.

Gill said that Stevens, while driving to Trenton to pick up her son and a friend, saw Norvell walking along side the road. She took her to get ice cream, then drove her to Middletown to stay with Stevens’ sister and brother-in-law, Lucinda and Robert Bryant. She said Norvell lived with the Bryants the entire time she was missing because she didn’t want to return to Trenton.

Stevens’ teen-age son is Norvell’s boyfriend, police said.

Police have said Norvell wanted to stay hidden for a few more months until her 18th birthday. On March 14, Trenton police found her hiding in a closet at the Bryant’s house in the 4800 block of Caprice Drive while serving a search warrant. She was “disappointed” to be found, police said.

She was charged with unruly and is in the custody of Butler County Children Services.

The Bryants were charged with falsification, obstruction of justice, and interference with custody and their case, scheduled for Wednesday, was continued until next month, according to court documents. There were several friends of the Bryants and Stevens in the courtroom and at one point, a bailiff told them to be quiet after some of them disagreed with Gill’s testimony.

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