OMAHA, Neb.—A northeast Nebraska couple who fled with their two children out of fear they’d lose custody will likely face jail time for violating probation rules, but it’s not clear whether they’ll face additional charges.
The Schades—Matthew, 26, and Rowena, 29—appeared Tuesday in Pierce County District Court to answer to probation violations related to the 800-mile roundtrip that took the family to western South Dakota and back.
No new charges had been filed against the Schades as of Tuesday afternoon. Both were assigned court-appointed attorneys and ordered back to court on April 30.
The Schades pleaded guilty in December 2004 to the burglary of a grocery store in Plainview, in Pierce County.
According to court documents, each was ordered to serve three years’ probation beginning in 2006. Matthew Schade’s probation would have been complete on April 6—the day the family turned up. Rowena was on probation through the end of May.
Because the couple fled their home and didn’t report a change of address, they will likely be ordered to serve out the remainder of the sentences, which are listed in court documents as 180 days. Matthew Schade has credit for eight days served in 2006.
In addition, South Dakota authorities have been trying to determine whether the family was involved in a string of burglaries and a vehicle thefts during their flight in the Black Hills.
A truck stolen from the Silver City, S.D., volunteer fire department was found in Antelope County a few days before the Schades turned themselves in. One of the family’s vehicles was abandoned near Silver City.
Pennington County, S.D., officials said Tuesday that no charges had yet been filed against the Schades.
The Schades left their Creighton home after being questioned March 20 about allegations of domestic abuse. A search extended to remote areas of South Dakota before winding back to Nebraska. The family turned themselves in to Knox County authorities on April 6.
Last Wednesday, the Knox County attorney’s office said it would not seek to make the Schades’ children, 11-year-old Devon and 8-year-old Sean, wards of the state. Instead, the siblings would continue to live with a “close family member.”
