Natalie and Jonathan Chase DeBlase -- Missing 3/01/10

Police: Father, stepmother responsible for deaths of Alabama children

By the CNN Wire Staff
December 6, 2010 7:28 a.m. EST






(CNN) -- Police in Mobile, Alabama, said Sunday they are "actively searching" for the bodies of two young children believed killed by their father and stepmother.

Authorities began investigating a missing persons report on Jonathan DeBlase, 3, and his older sister Natalie, 4, on November 19. However, the children have not been seen since late June, said Officer Christopher Levy, spokesman for Mobile police.

The children's father, John Joseph DeBlase, 27, was arrested Friday. He faces two counts of aggravated child abuse and two counts of abuse of a corpse, Mobile police said in a statement. Stepmother Heather Keaton was arrested earlier in Louisville, Kentucky, and faces two counts of willful abuse and neglect of a child, police said.

Keaton went to police in Kentucky and asked for a restraining order against DeBlase. The couple had been living in Louisville, Kentucky, but had apparently separated, Levy said.

According to police documents from Louisville, Keaton told investigators she felt DeBlase "may have murdered his children because he said that they were nonresponsive," CNN affiliate WKRG reported. She said DeBlase had told her "choices were made ... and he had to do what he had to do."

Keaton told police she feared for her own life because of events that took place six months prior in Mobile, Levy said. "When she was explaining why she needed this emergency order of protection from him ... it was told to them (investigators) that the kids were dead and it had occurred in Mobile."

WKRG said Keaton approached authorities November 18. Levy said police were notified and began investigating a day later.

Keaton, identified as Heather Leavell-Keaton by WKRG, was arrested Tuesday night, and police began looking for DeBlase.

On Friday, Mobile police were notified by the Santa Rosa County, Florida, Sheriff's Department that DeBlase had been found, police said. He was returned to Mobile.

"Detectives have determined that both John DeBlase and Heather Keaton are responsible" for the children's deaths, the Mobile police statement said. "Police will continue to search for the children."

Read more:
http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/12/05/alabama.missing.children/index.html?hpt=Sbin

No Sign Of DeBlase Children After 2nd Day Of Search

Last Updated: Sun, December 05, 2010 - 6:06 pm CST

Mobile Police focus on Citronelle in 2nd day of search for two missing children who are believed to be dead.



WKRG.com News

http://www.wkrg.com/alabama/article/resuming-search-for-deblase-children/1203067/Dec-05-2010_6-06-pm/

Mother of Missing Children Makes Plea

Last Updated: Thu, December 02, 2010 - 10:56 pm CST


WKRG.com News

http://www.wkrg.com/alabama/article/mother-of-missing-children-makes-plea/1203036/Dec-02-2010_10-56-pm/

They were reported missing in March.......states they were last seen March 1.......

http://www.missingkids.com/missingkids/servlet/PubCaseSearchServlet?act=viewChildDetail&caseNum=1160990&orgPrefix=NCMC&seqNum=2&caseLang=en_US&searchLang=en_US

Mugshots ~


Dad ~ John DeBlase




Stepmom ~ Heather Leavell-Keaton

Was no one searching for these children? The mother hadn't seen them in a year

John and Heather also have an infant together.

Bond Set For Father Of Missing Children Believed Dead

Last Updated: Mon, December 06, 2010 - 1:11 pm CST


WKRG.com News

http://www.wkrg.com/alabama/article/bond-set-for-father-of-missing-children-believed-dead/1203083/Dec-06-2010_1-11-pm/

Grandfather Disowns Father of Missing Kids

Last Updated: Mon, December 06, 2010 - 2:38 pm CST


Richard DeBlase tearily says John Deblase "ceases" to be his son, after police say two children are dead.





WKRG.com News

MOBILE, Alabaama - John DeBlase's father, Richard DeBlase, was not at this morning's bond hearing for his son. John DeBlase is being held on a more than $200,000 bond, after admitting to police that his two children, five year old Natalie, and three year old Chase, are dead. In fact, Richard DeBlase has not spoken to his son, in weeks, and doesn't care to either. Richard and his wife, Ann, say Natalie and Chase lived with them for over two years, and they loved the children dearly. "These were two really adorable kids.. really adorable. You couldn't help but love them."

http://www.wkrg.com/alabama/article/grandfather-disowns-father-of-missing-kids/1203087/Dec-06-2010_2-38-pm/

I am reading reports they were last seen in July, then May or June. The missing children's poster says March 1, 2010. ????????????

Police: Alabama toddler, now presumed dead, was last seen in March

By the CNN Wire Staff

December 6, 2010 9:07 p.m. EST

(CNN) -- The search for a 3-year-old Alabama boy began just weeks ago, but police now say that no one had seen him since March -- around when, they believe, he was killed by one or two of his parents.

John Joseph DeBlase, Heather Keaton and Natalie -- the father, stepmother and 4-year-old sister, respectively, of Jonathan DeBlase -- continued to live in Mobile's Peach Place apartments for months after the boy's presumed death, Mobile police Officer Christopher Levy said Monday.

They didn't leave until the summer, after Natalie was last spotted in June -- when police now think she was killed, according to Levy. Still, the search for the two children, whose bodies haven't been found, didn't begin until November 19.

"It's really terrible, as if nobody really cared," Levy said of the time that transpired between the sightings and launch of the search. "That's what we can't seem to understand at this point."

Read more:
http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/12/06/alabama.missing.children/index.html?hpt=Sbin

It seems no one cared about these two children, this is just awful.

~Snipped~
This weekend, authorities started looking in a rural 12-mile swath in southeastern Mississippi, about one hour's drive from Mobile.

"They think that somehow, maybe, one of the children may have been brought here and dumped," said Jackson County, Mississippi, Sheriff Mike Byrd. "But we're not really sure where to look."

Byrd said that he believes that John DeBlase wanted to bury one of the children with a shovel, but tossed the body instead because the ground was too hard. Searchers, some with cadaver dogs, have looked on the sides of nearby roads and in a wooded area.

Remains, believed to be those of Chase Deblase, found in Miss.

Updated: Wednesday, 08 Dec 2010, 12:25 PM CST

VANCLEAVE, Miss. (WALA) - Mobile police say a body, believed to be that of Chase Deblase, has been found in a wooded area around 12 miles north of Vancleave, Mississippi.

Officials say they will have to wait for forensic evidence to be examined before they make a 100 percent identification. However, the remains were found in the area where Chase's body was believed to be placed.

Police say they will now focus their efforts to an area in Citronelle, where they believe Chase's sister Natalie's remains may be.

Read more: http://www.fox10tv.com/dpp/news/mississippi/remains-believed-to-be-of-jonathan-deblase-found-in-mississippi

Police: Ala. dad to be charged with murder counts

By BRIAN SKOLOFF
Associated Press
Posted on Wed, Dec. 08, 2010

VANCLEAVE, Miss. - Police say the father of two missing Alabama children will be charged with murder.

Mobile Police Officer Chris Levy said Wednesday that the discovery of remains believed to be the man's 3-year-old son gives authorities enough evidence to file two murder charges against John DeBlase.

A boy's bones were found in rural Mississippi earlier in the day. DeBlase has told police he also disposed of his 5-year-old daughter's body in a different location. Her remains haven't been found.

After the discovery of the remains, prosecutors gave police approval to prepare the charges against DeBlase.

The children's stepmother is being held in Kentucky on child abuse charges in the case. Levy said police aren't ready yet to prepare charges that she killed either of the children.

Read more: http://www.kansas.com/2010/12/08/1623763/search-for-ala-kids-brings-wildly.html

Rest in peace, little Natalie and Chase. I'm so sorry no one cared or was there to protect you. You should be making your wish list for Santa, enjoying all the bright Christmas lights and eating Christmas cookies. Your smiles are so sweet, your innocence so precious. You'll be in our hearts and no one will ever be able to hurt you again.

Dad of missing Ala. kids charged with murder

December 8, 2010




~Snipped~
Reached Wednesday, DeBlase's father, Richard, said he had no comment on the grim discovery.

"We're doing all right," he said.

The children's biological mother, Corrine DeBlase Heathcock, was "devastated" by the news Wednesday, said Rob Willmann, her pastor and a family spokesman.

In a statement released by Willmann, Heathcock called Chase "a little gentleman" and said Natalie "loved everyone she came in contact with."

"I love my children, and I will remember to the day that I die their laughter, love, and smiles," said Heathcock, who was divorced from DeBlase.

Leavell-Keaton's mother, Helena Keaton, said Wednesday after the body was discovered that the whole situation is "horrid."

"It pains me for these little kids," Keaton told The Associated Press. "There is nothing they could have done to deserve this, and to be cast away like this."

DeBlase was arraigned earlier Wednesday on the lesser charges. A judge set a preliminary hearing for Jan. 4. DeBlase's newly appointed lawyer, Jim Sears, said Wednesday he had only spoken briefly with his client and declined to comment on the discussion.

"He's considered innocent and we'll take it from there," Sears said.

Levy said witnesses have told authorities both suspects beat the kids on numerous occasions.

"We have some incidents where people observed them striking the children with objects," Levy said, adding investigators are disturbed no one came forward sooner. "The children had some injuries that warranted medical attention which they never properly received."

DeBlase and Leavell-Keaton had been together since 2008, but they were not legally married. The couple met on the website MySpace while DeBlase and his children were living with his parents and Leavell-Keaton was attending nearby Spring Hill College in Mobile.

Her mother said her daughter was legally blind and dependent on DeBlase.

"She does not know really what happened to the kids. We suspect he poisoned them," Keaton told the AP before the discovery of the boy's bones.

"They had the same symptoms. They were not eating, they were not drinking. They were beginning to use the bathroom on themselves although they were potty trained," she said. "John would not take those children to get medical care."

In the spring, Keaton said, DeBlase forced Leavell-Keaton to go on a long ride. DeBlase finally stopped and got something out of the vehicle, Keaton said, but Leavell-Keaton — who was pregnant at the time with DeBlase's third child — was unsure what it was.

Keaton described DeBlase as a controlling, "habitual liar."

"She has tried to get away from John before, and he has tracked her down," Keaton said.

The couple moved to Kentucky without the children this summer, and Leavell-Keaton had DeBlase's child in August.

DeBlase's parents gave a very different account in an interview before the bones were found. They say Leavell-Keaton controlled the relationship, wouldn't allow DeBlase to take his children to church and forced him to move out of their home with the kids.

The grandparents last saw the children in February when they tracked down their son and Leavell-Keaton at a trailer park in the rural Alabama town of Citronelle.

They told the AP they suspect Leavell-Keaton killed the kids during a fit of rage while DeBlase attended night classes to become a personal trainer, then manipulated him into getting rid of the bodies.

Still, they're not excusing their son.

"I can't believe John is responsible for this, but I know he could have prevented it," Deblase's mother, Dorothy, said. "But if Heather told him to go jump off a bridge, he would go jump in a river."
___

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101208/ap_on_re_us/us_missing_children_alabama

Natalie DeBlase Bound With Duct Tape, Then Stuffed In A Suitcase

by WKRG Staff
Published: Thu, December 09, 2010 - 10:00 am CST
Last Updated: Thu, December 09, 2010 - 11:09 am CST





Court documents detail the abuse suffered by Natalie and Chase DeBlase before police say their dad and stepmom killed them. Chase's remains were found yesterday dumped near Vancleave, Mississippi.

Warrants
Between March 1 and November 19, 2010, John DeBlase allowed Heather Leavell-Keaton to duct tape Chase's hands to the side of his legs, tape a broom handle to his back, place a sock in her mouth and make him stand in the corner all night.

Between March 1 and November 19, 2010, John DeBlase allowed Heather Leavell-Keaton to duct tape Natalie's hands and feet, place a sock in her mouth, place her inside a black suitcase and leave the suitcase inside a closet for 14 hours

On June 20, 2010, John DeBlase dumped Chase's body in the woods in Vancleave, Mississippi

On March 4, 2010, John DeBlase dumped Natalie's body in the woods near Citronelle.

Leavell-Keaton is expected to be extradited back to Mobile today.

http://www.wkrg.com/alabama/article/natalie-deblase-bound-with-duct-tape-then-stuffed-in-a-suitcase/1203189/Dec-09-2010_11-09-am/

Warrants:


http://www.wkrg.com/document/pdf/12-09-2010_chasedeblase_duct_tape

http://www.wkrg.com/document/pdf/12-09-2010_natalalie_deblase_suitcase

http://www.wkrg.com/document/pdf/12-09-2010_natalie_deblase_corpseabuse

http://www.wkrg.com/document/pdf/12-09-2010_chase_debase_corpseabuse

The warrants show Natalie was murdered first, then little Chase. They've been reporting that Chase hadn't been seen since March 1st.

Murdering degenerate pigs

And, this is only his side of the story of what she did.

Does anyone know the bio mom's story? Why hadn't she been in contact with her children?

There's a video of her above. She hasn't seen them in a year, nor has she attempted to. She said she didn't have a job and no place to live.