Aurora – An attorney for one of two “persons of interest” in the disappearance of a 7-year-old girl withdrew from the case today, saying her client had ignored her advice by publicly declaring her innocence a day earlier.
Attorney Leta Holden said Shelley Lowe may have hurt her chances of regaining custody of her children when she joined her boyfriend, Aaron Thompson, in telling reporters they were not involved in the disappearance of Thompson’s daughter, Aarone.
Police say they believe Aarone is dead and call Thompson and Lowe “persons of interest.” Lowe’s newborn daughter and other children who lived in the couple’s home were placed in protective custody after police classified the case as a homicide.
Holden also criticized the couple’s friend and spokesman, Sam Riddle.
“If there was any advantage gained by sacrificing the lawyer, I hope that Mr. Riddle enjoyed his 21 minutes of fame and grandstanding,” she said, a reference to the length of the interview the couple gave the Rocky Mountain News and KMGH-TV Thursday.
Riddle was present for that interview. He said today he did not arrange it but defended the need for the couple to go public to respond to what he called “half-truths” that were being told about them.
“This family did need to message and desperately did need to be seen as a family who love their children,” he told The Associated Press.
Riddle called Holden’s decision to withdraw “bizarre” and said she may have been over her head.
Aaron Thompson reported his daughter missing on Nov. 14, saying she ran away when he told her she could not have a cookie.
Holden said she believes Aarone is alive but would not comment further. She said she had urged Lowe to “limit her comments and exposure” in the case.
Holden would not say whether she had advised Lowe against speaking to police. Lowe and Thompson have declined police requests for interviews since investigators began saying they believe Aarone is dead.
Thompson’s attorney, Terraine Bailey, did not immediately return a call.
