The Disappearance of Heather Kullorn

Netscape Home The Netscape BlogNetscape NewsQuake

The Disappearance of Heather Kullorn — Jan 23rd 2007

By Dakota Smith

The recent rescue of 15-year-old kidnap victim Shawn Hornbeck provided many Americans with an increasingly rare commodity: good news. For Christine Kullorn of St. Clair, Missouri, the massive press coverage had an additional effect. Since January 12, when Hornbeck was reunited with his family, a stream of television news crews and photographers have been showing up at Kullorn's apartment.

Kullorn's 12-year-old daughter Heather disappeared in July 1999, while she was babysitting for family friends in Richmond Heights (a community about 10 miles from Kirkwood, where Hornbeck was discovered). "I'm glad they found Shawn because it keeps Heather in the public eye," says Kullorn, who just received 500 new missing posters of her daughter.

Heather Kullorn in an undated photo; her fifth-grade school picture; age-progressed to age 19

The Hornbeck and Kullorn cases are markedly different. When Hornbeck disappeared on a bike ride home in 2002, police had no clues or witnesses. In Heather Kullorn's case, there are clues, a witness, and plausible motives. And those close to the case believe that someone in this suburban pocket of Missouri knows what happened to Heather.

Heather Vanishes

Heather had just recently started babysitting in 1999. Her aunt, Debbie Kullorn, would pay the outgoing sixth-grader to push around her baby cousin in a stroller. Heather also loved watching the two-month-old infant of family friends Christopher Herbert and Dana Madden.

Herbert and Madden lived on Yale Avenue, a residential side street on the eastern edge of Richmond Heights. In the early morning of July 15, when Heather is believed to have disappeared, Madden was working the overnight shift at a convenience store, and Herbert told police he was out with friends. He returned home at 6 A.M. At that point he found Heather gone and his infant daughter crying but unharmed. Significant traces of Heather's blood were on the couch.

The apartment complex on Yale Avenue where Heather was babysitting

A massive search for Heather was launched by more than 60 police officers from the St. Louis area. In any abduction, the early hours of the search are crucial, but in Heather's case, the missing girl was a diabetic who required daily insulin injections. Eventually the FBI's National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime would also join the investigation.

At first there were promising leads. A neighbor in the apartment building told police that when he went out to walk his dog at 2 A.M., he saw someone carrying a child's body out of Herbert's apartment. Without his glasses, the witness was legally blind. Still, he reported that the child's upper body was wrapped in a blanket, with her legs exposed. A white comforter was subsequently discovered missing from the couple's apartment.

According to Richmond Heights Police Detective Mike Brown, it quickly became clear that Herbert was involved in the local drug scene. During his initial conversation with the police, Herbert claimed to have been out with friends all night. Later he confessed that he had been manufacturing methamphetamine with a friend down by the river.

Additionally, meth paraphernalia was found in the garage used by Herbert and Mike Mason. Mason, a neighbor who lived across the street, was responsible for rehabbing apartments in the development, and often hired Herbert for handyman jobs. And on the same day that Heather disappeared, a man and a woman from Sikeston, Missouri (a city about 180 miles south of Richmond Heights) stopped by Herbert's apartment and left him a note. Brown speculates that there may have been a drug deal in the offing. But when the couple's BMW was impounded and searched by the FBI, no evidence connected them to Heather's disappearance.

Richmond Heights Police Detective Mike Brown

Looking for Motives

Did police believe that Heather was killed because she witnessed a drug deal that night? The local media were quick to pounce on that possibility. Brown says his investigation produced no solid evidence to support that theory. But it was certainly never disproved, either. "Can I say it was drug-related?" he asks rhetorically. "Well, everyone involved here was doing drugs."

Meanwhile, Christopher Herbert was arrested on federal drug charges in 2004. He is currently serving a four-year sentence in a Florence, Colorado prison. Mike Mason, who was also interviewed extensively by police, was convicted of federal drug charges in 2005, and is serving a six-year sentence in Marion, Illinois.

Christine Kullorn has written to Herbert in prison. He responded to one of her letters, she says, but hasn't replied to a subsequent one. Still, she believes that at least half a dozen people know what happened to her daughter--starting with Herbert. "Maybe someone else was there that night and just freaked out," says Kullorn.

But Herbert has repeatedly told police he knows nothing, according to Brown. "He continues to deny any involvement in Heather's disappearance," says Brown. Netscape News wrote to Herbert in prison, requesting an interview, but did not hear back.

Other theories-Heather's abduction was an act of revenge against Christine or Herbert, for instance-never panned out, he says.

Still on the Trail

Back in 1999, two local businessmen offered a reward of $25,000 for any information that would help to solve the crime. Given the lack of viable leads, the offer was recently suspended. Yet the tips keep coming in: every month, Brown gets phone calls from people claiming they saw Heather or know where she is buried.

He characterizes most of these leads as "third-hand and fourth-hand rumors. It's someone calling and saying that Heather's body is in southeast Missouri, leading me to go there for four days."

Christine Kullorn with a picture of Heather

Meanwhile, Christine Kullorn is hoping to discuss her daughter's case on America's Most Wanted, having met host John Walsh during a recent Larry King Live taping. And she stays in constant touch with Brown. "He wants to find justice for Heather," she says. "He is doing all that he can."

"Christine deserves to have closure and to know what happened to her child," says Marc Klaas, a California-based child-rights advocate whose own daughter Polly was abducted and murdered in 1993. According to Klaas, it's rare for a case with so many clues to remain unsolved.

A few years ago, Kullorn's sister Beth gave her a framed mural with a large photo of Heather, surrounded by pictures of other missing children. One of these was Shawn Hornbeck. Now his safe return home has given Kullorn some renewed hope. "I believe in my heart and soul that I will find her," she says. "Even if it's not good news, I know I will find her."

UPDATES:
Heather Kullorn Case Update
Questions Persist in Heather Kullorn Case

Anyone with information about Heather Kullorn can call Detective Mike Brown at the Richmond Heights Police Dept.: (314) 645-3000 or the Center for Missing and Exploited Children: (1-800-843-5678)

Tags: ChristineKullorn, DetectiveMikeBrown, HeatherKullorn, NetscapeReports

13 Comments

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

mary ann c golden — 2:59PM on Jan 25th 2007

1. I can't imagine the horror the mom must be going through.I will include her in my prayers.I think the mothers of missing children should be alowed to torture the bad guy when they are found.Or put them in jail with all the bad guys and let them deal with those bastards

Melissa — 3:36PM on Jan 25th 2007

2. I feel for the mother, I truely do, but 1. What mother would let her child (who's only in 6th grade) babysit until 6am? and 2. Didn't the mother know what kind of people her daughter was babysitting for??? It also states that Heather had been babysitting since 99'? Is this legal?

Shannon Tuckett — 7:44PM on Jan 25th 2007

3. I am the mother of four children ages 16, 12, 11 and the youngest being 6... the two older are girls and the two younger, boys. I would never in any situation leave my 12 year old with my two other children until 6 am in the morning. That just goes to show that maybe her mother did not have the knowledge to hinder this kind of judgement. I can not think of to many people, now a days, that would let even a 14 year old babysit when drugs are involved. I am sure the mother knew, but if it is family you have a tendency to turn the other cheek. All I can say is I feel for the mother who is looking for some type of closure. I know I would never stop looking for one of my children. For as long as I lived, I would be looking.

Shanna — 9:54AM on Jan 26th 2007

4. I can't beleive people are blaming this girls mother. Hasn't she gone through enough hell? We don't know the situation - how cruel to make judgements.

Shirley Padilla — 11:01PM on Jan 26th 2007

5. At first, I did not want to read this article with what appeared to be an unhappy ending. People who care and understand will not judge, but perhaps will gain knowledge about these situations and will put this information to good use in their own families. I hope that many people will pray for this family, and any other family under these circumstances.

Malynn — 11:25PM on Jan 26th 2007

6. My prayers are with this girl's family. I can't imagine going through such horror. It must be like living a nightmare everyday. I hope and pray that all the mother's and father's that are looking for their lost children, find peace, whether it is ultimatly good or bad news. For all of you judging this woman or any other parents of lost children. It can happen to anyone. Maybe this was a long time family friend that they trusted. Maybe it was their neighbor so she was just next door. BACK OFF, you are lucky that this is not an article on one of your children. You have no idea how much this mother has already beat herself up over this. If you don't have anything nice to say... you know the rest grow up and act like it.

Donna — 10:14PM on Jan 27th 2007

7. I am a mother of four children and every day they leave my house, whether it is for school or to spend the night with their friend or whatever, I worry and pray for them to return home safely. I do not believe that that mother intentionally put her daughter's life in danger. NO caring mother would. So I agree with the rest. BACK OFF and thank God that you, who are blaming are not in that same situation, right now. God be with you and hold on to God's hand. My heart goes out to you. And by the way my oldest child is 20 years old and I still worry. We leave in a cruel world, full of mean, cruel, and heartless people. And we are not safe anywhere, sometimes not even in our own homes.

Carmen — 1:11PM on Mar 10th 2007

8. Happy Birthday, Heather.

Darrin — 10:19AM on Mar 23rd 2007

9. I am going to shed some light on this matter. I am doing this because
I am tired of hearing about poor Chris Kullorn. I worked at a pizza
parlor with Christine Kullorn during the mid to late 90's. Chris was
a "party girl" who would lay down with any man that had drugs or alcohol for her to partake of.
There were many times that her kids, Matt and Heather would come down
to the shop and ask me and Paul (the owner) if we had seen their
mother because they had not seen her in a few days. Or they would
come by and ask Paul to feed them because mom was gone and there was
no food at the apartment. A lot of these visits would happen at
around midnight when kids should be at home sleeping. No child should
be out that late, especially in a south St. louis neighborhood filled
with drug dealers and prostitutes.
Paul did his best to keep an eye on those kids and to try and be a
father figure to them but there is only so much you can do with
children who run the streets all hours of the night while mom is out
partying for days on end.
My heart go's out to Heather but I just can't feel sorry for Chris.
Heather deserved better than that.

kelly — 8:40PM on Mar 27th 2007

10. god bless your family
i hope you get your prayers answered soon

SOPHIE GUNTER — 1:32AM on Apr 17th 2007

11. AS KNOWING DANA AND CHRIS AT 6 YEARS OLD, I REMEMBER HEATHER ME AND MY MOM WERE STAYING A FEW WEEKENDS THERE VISITING DANA. HEATHER LOVED TO BABYSIT! IM 14 NOW AND HAVE LITTLE MEMORIES OF HEATHER THESE ARE THE ONES I DO REMEMBER HEATHER BABYSAT KATELYN AND I HAETHER LOVED TO HAVE FUN! SO WHEN WE LEFT I SAID GOODBYE TO HER AND ONLY BEING 6 I STARTED CRYING. SO WE GOT BACK IN THE CAR AND LEFT RICHMOND HIGHTS MO AND STARTED OF BACK TO GRANITE CITY ILL 2 WEEKS LATER MY MOM AND I WERE WATCHING TV AND SAW HEATHERS MISSING PICTURE I WAS TO LITTLE TO UNDERSTAND BUT TEARS WERE PORING OF MY MOMS FACE! SHE COULD'NT EXPLAIN IT TO ME BECAUSE I WAS TO LITTLE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS GOING ON. BUT NOW IM OLDER AND UNDERSTAND ALOT MORE ABOUT IT. CHRISTENE I KNOW THAT YOU JUST WHANT CLOSURE AND WHANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPEND TO HEATHER. IT MUST BE REALY HARD FOR "YOU" BUT NEVER GIVE UP HOPE AND ALLWAYS KEEP YOUR OPTIONS OPEN! AND I THINK IF SOMEONE HAS JUST A LITTLE INFORMATION THATS ALL IT COULD TAKE THEY NEED TO COME FORWORD!! TO GIVE CHRISTENE AND EVERY ONE WHO KNEW HEATHER CLOSEURE AND HOPE I HOPES THAT HAPPENDS" CHRISTENE.

Victoria — 4:46PM on Apr 17th 2007

12. My heart goes out to Christine Kullorn. This truly is every parents worst nightmare, not knowing where or what happened to your child at any age. To everyone that is judging this woman, you have no idea what custody arrangements went on between both parents. As a single mother of an 11 year old daughter I went through months of trying to get soul custody of my daughter because drugs were a factor in the father's life. During that time unfortunately we both had custody of her. Luckily nothing horrible happened to her. No one has the right to judge this mother, she is still in hell because she doesn't know what happened to her little girl. I think I would've attacked the father and/or girlfriend with a baseball bat too. Good for you Christine.

Darrin — 4:29PM on Apr 30th 2007

13. I am not attacking you Victoria, it is human nature to feel compassion for any parent that has had to go through something so terrible as this, but you have no idea about what Heather was exposed to by her mother, sadly I do.
Heather was raised around drug addicts and alcoholics without adult supervision, at least not resposible adults. Her mother would vanish for days on one of her drinking binges, leaving those kids to fend for themselves.
Since Heathers disappearance and probable death, Chris has tried to portray herself as this loving and caring mother who is without fault. Heather was fortunate to live as long as she did with such a poor excuse for a mother. If it makes you feel good to defend Chris feel free to do so but I will continue to speak for Heather who is the only victim in this case.

At NewsQuake!, the Netscape staff blogs about breaking news of every stripe. Looking for context, commentary, and lively reportage? You’ve come to the right place.

RSS News Feed RSS Feed / Send us Tips

Featured Galleries