Aurora – The woman at the center of the Aaroné Thompson case is in Denver County Jail on traffic-related charges.
Shelley Marie Lowe, 33, is serving a 10-day sentence on charges she failed to appear in court on a traffic charge, Denver County Sheriff’s officials said. She was booked into jail last Tuesday.
Lowe is the girlfriend of Aaron Thompson and was living in the Aurora home where police believe 6-year-old Aaroné was killed.
Thompson and Lowe told police on Nov. 14 that Aaroné, who would now be 7 years old, ran away.
Sam Riddle, who has acted as spokesman for the family, said police are trying to chip away at the couple’s credibility.
“They got big bull’s-eyes on them,” he said in a telephone interview from Detroit.
“I’m sure they are getting extra scrutiny for the case and the attention it is attracting,” he said. “(Police) keep chipping away, chipping away. It all adds up, a little chip here and a little chip there. It puts the Aurora police in a position where they can say, ‘I told you so. There is something wrong with those folks.”‘
Aurora Police Chief Dan Oates said his department had nothing to do with her arrest.
“Somehow this is Aurora’s fault that she is in jail on a Denver warrant for failure to appear?” he asked. “The fact that she is in jail speaks for itself.”
Police declared Aaroné’s disappearance a homicide case three days into the search. Police seized their rented home to search it. The children they were caring for were placed in foster care.
Police say Aaroné hasn’t been seen for almost two years. She wasn’t enrolled in school and the other children who lived at the house on East Kepner Place allegedly told authorities they hadn’t seen the little girl in more than 18 months.
Aaroné’s body hasn’t been found and no arrests have been made.
Authorities continue to call Lowe and Thompson persons of interest with whom they would like to talk.
Thompson and Lowe are working through social services to regain custody of the children who were removed. They range in age from 15 to an infant.
As part of the terms of Lowe’s punishment for failing to appear in Denver County Court, she can pay a $93 fine to lower her sentence to eight days if she chooses, officials said.
According to Denver County court filings, Lowe has had several run-ins with the law over traffic violations dating to 2000, including failing to appear for court dates and driving with false license plates or altered plates.
Lowe has served at least 10 days in jail and 60 hours of community service for cases in the fall and winter of 2000.
Staff writer Jeremy P. Meyer may be reached at 303-820-1175 or jpmeyer@denverpost.com.
