Avery Doherty, missing Ames 6-year-old child, found safe in Maine with non-custodial mother

An Ames girl who had been missing since October was found in Maine this week with her non-custodial mother.

Six-year-old Avery Doherty was located safely on Wednesday, Feb. 14, on Peaks Island off the coast of Portland, Maine, with Esther Bender, 41, according to a news release from the Ames Police Department Thursday morning.

Bender was arrested for "unlawfully (removing) Avery from the State of Iowa on or about Oct. 14, 2023," and violated a court order, the release said.

Doherty was first reported missing to the Story County Sheriff's Office in October. Ames Police partnered with the FBI in January to help expand their search. The Division of Criminal Investigation was involved as well.

According to Sgt. Amber Christian, public information officer of the Ames Police Department, Ames Police followed investigative leads, conducted multiple interviews, and analyzed subpoenas and search warrants to help find the girl.

More: FBI joins Ames police in search of 5-year-old girl missing since October

Police believed the child was with Bender when the investigation began. Court documents accuse Bender of withdrawing the child from school in Iowa and having "gone off the grid," which led to the court issuing an arrest warrant in early November.

Bender was Doherty's custodial parent until last year, according to court documents.

Celia Brocker is a government, crime, political and education reporter for the Ames Tribune. She can be reached at CBrocker@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Ames Tribune: Missing child from Ames found in Maine with non-custodial mother