Missing Child and Father Found Alive Barricaded in Outbuilding

June 26, 2021
By: Dwayne Page

The search for a six year old missing child and her father is over!

34 year old Nicholas Reeder and daughter Kinzleigh were found alive but barricaded in an outbuilding with little food and water on Reeder’s property in the Pea Ridge community Friday night. Authorities were led to the shed by a bloodhound used in the search.

Kinzleigh was released to the custody of the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services and her father was arrested for child abuse and neglect, failure to appear, and custodial interference.

Sheriff Patrick Ray issued the following statement after the Reeder’s were found.

“The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department along with other agencies from across middle Tennessee have diligently worked around the clock looking for Kinzleigh Reeder. It all came to end on Friday evening when the child was located in an outbuilding with her father”.

“Throughout the search for Kinzleigh Reeder, there have been hundreds of manpower hours utilized in the diligent search for Nicholas Reeder and the missing child. Throughout the investigation, there have been airplanes equipped with thermal imaging and drones used in the Pea Ridge Community. The Rutherford County Sheriff’s Department was contacted to assist in the search with a bloodhound named “Fred”. The bloodhound was able to locate a scent that led to an outbuilding located on the property belonging to Nicholas Reeder. Officers did have to make forcible entry where they came in contact with Nicholas and Kinzleigh Reeder. The door to the outbuilding was barricaded and the windows had been covered up with metal. There was no ventilation and air conditioning inside the small outbuilding. There was barely any food or water for the child. The outbuilding had a strong ammonia smell where the two had been urinating and defecating in a five gallon bucket,” said Sheriff Ray.

“Nicholas Reeder has been arrested for child abuse or neglect. He also had warrants for failure to appear and custodial interference. His total bond is $175,000. The child was released to the custody of the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services,” he added.

Sheriff Ray said he would like to thank the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Department, Rutherford County Fire and Rescue, Stormpoint Emergency Response, Tennessee Highway Patrol, Smithville-DeKalb County Rescue Squad, DeKalb EMS, Federal Bureau of Investigations and Tennessee Bureau of Investigation for all their assistance in the search of Kinzleigh Reeder.

Kinzleigh, who had been missing since May 26, was removed from the custody of Reeder after they were found camped out under a bridge in rising creek water on the cold rainy night of March 18 at Dry Creek and Pea Ridge Road.

Authorities learned that Reeder had driven his Nissan Rogue off the roadway into the creek bed where it got stuck during heavy rain and creek flooding. Kinzleigh was with Reeder at the time.

Reeder was later charged with child abuse and neglect and Kinzleigh was placed into the temporary custody of a family member by the Department of Children’s Services. After Reeder’s release from jail, DCS gave Reeder approval to live in the same home where Kenzleigh was staying.

On Monday, June 21 the Department of Children Services contacted the Sheriff’s Department seeking to file a missing child report. Under a court order signed June 16, the Department of Children Services was granted custody of Kinzleigh but DCS had not been able to locate her. According to DCS the child was last seen by a family member on May 26.

“After being contacted by DCS Monday the Sheriff’s Department filed a missing person report and entered information about Kinzleigh into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC),” Sheriff Patrick Ray told WJLE. “We also contacted the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation about issuing an Amber Alert or an Endangered Child Alert but were advised by the TBI that this case did not meet the criteria for an Amber Alert or an Endangered Child Alert. The TBI did assist in doing a Missing Child Alert by providing a missing poster. The District Attorney General’s Office was also notified,” said Sheriff Ray.

The following is the WJLE news story post after Reeder and Kinzleigh were first encountered by authorities under the bridge at Dry Creek on March 18. Her name had not been released at that time.

Sheriff Patrick Ray said that on Thursday, March 18 Reeder knowingly endangered the life and physical well being of his child by driving his Nissan Rogue off the roadway at Dry Creek and Pea Ridge Road into a creek bed where it got stuck during heavy rain and creek flooding.

According to Sheriff Ray and the deputy who was called to the scene, a passerby spotted Reeder’s Nissan Rogue under the bridge in the creek between 1 and 2 a.m. on Thursday March 18. No one was in the vehicle but Reeder and the child were outside under the bridge.

Although Reeder has a home nearby where he and his daughter reside, Reeder told the officer that he arrived at the bridge with the child earlier in the day with the intention of staying the night even though it was cold and raining and the creek waters were rising. After setting up camp under the bridge, Reeder and the child left to get some groceries and other supplies but returned later to the creek where Reeder’s Nissan Rogue got stuck.

Due to the rising creek water and safety hazards, the deputy told Reeder that he and the child would have to leave. Although he was initially reluctant to go and vowed to return to the bridge later, Reeder allowed the officer to transport him and the child back to their home.

Reeder was later arrested and the Department of Children Services was notified. The child was placed in the care of a family member.

June 25, 2021
By:

The Smithville Fiddlers’ Jamboree and Craft Festival is pleased to announce the production of a free history book detailing the founding of the Jamboree, and the story of it’s 50 year history.

“On the occasion of the 50th Annual Smithville Fiddlers’ Jamboree and Crafts Festival, it is fitting to look back and remember why, and how, this tribute to traditional music got started,” said Sam Stout, President of the Jamboree, “In the book, we have tried to capture the history of the founding of the Jamboree in 1972, the people who made it happen, and the continuity and milestones that have kept it going. We want to share our history with as many Jamboree fans as possible by providing it at no cost.”

To get the free PDF eBook go to the Jamboree website at www.smithvillejamboree.com. On the home page click on ‘Free History eBook’ to download to your computer or personal device. The eBook will be available until October 1, 2021. Following that deadline, it will then be expanded to include additional history and pictures, along with the 50th Annual Jamboree. The hard copy book will then be offered as a commemorative souvenir, and sold online and at the 51st Jamboree in 2022.

If you’ve ever performed in any Jamboree, were a judge, an announcer, had a crafts booth, were a vendor, or volunteered in any way, the Jamboree wants to include your pictures in the printed copy of the Jamboree 50 Year History Book. If you have pictures, scan them and email to the Jamboree with identification of who is in the picture, what is in the picture, and the year. Deadline is October 1, 2021. The Jamboree email address is SmithvilleJamboree@gmail.com.

June 25, 2021
By: Dwayne Page

Ready to retire!

Jeff McMillen is preparing to embark on the next chapter of his life.

McMillen, the longest serving DeKalb County public official in history, has announced that he will not be seeking re-election in 2022 bringing to an end his nine-term 36-year tenure as Register of Deeds.

“I have considered it for some time, but I think it’s time for me to retire and to pass the torch on to someone else. I am very humbled to have been able to stay here for 36 years and will be thankful until the day I die to the people of DeKalb County for what they have allowed me to do. The people have been wonderful to me. Folks from both sides of the aisle,” said McMillen in an interview with WJLE Wednesday.

Born and raised in DeKalb County, McMillen had never given much thought to public office as a career as a young man fresh out of high school until circumstances in his life changed. Initially because of his disability, McMillen found it hard getting work, but later with help from friends, he landed a job at the Hartsville Nuclear Power Plant where he was employed until it closed.

As McMillen began job hunting again in 1986, he was encouraged by family, friends, and some influential attorneys in town to make a run for public office, either for Trustee or Register of Deeds. McMillen knew that the Incumbents of both offices at that time would not be in the hunt for re-election. Eventually McMillen settled on a race for Register of Deeds.

“Some of the local attorneys, one in particular, contacted me and said Bill Young, the incumbent Register of Deeds, was going to retire and that we needed a new Register of Deeds. I told him I wasn’t looking for a political position. I was looking for a job. We sat down and talked about it, and I thought I could do that, and it just went from there. I got in the race, and it was awesome. I had fun. I went to every community center and my cousin helped get me around. My family and friends got out and worked for me and here I am today 36 years later,” said McMillen.

After taking office, McMillen made it a priority to always keep the office up to date especially technology wise at the least possible cost.

“I remember on one occasion attorney Sue Puckett Jernigan fixed lunch at her house for all the attorneys in town and she invited me because the lawyers wanted to share some ideas about ways to improve services in the office. I think attorney Frank Buck broke the backs out of two kitchen table chairs leaning back in them that day, “McMillen laughing recalled.

“One of the things they talked about was computerization. Later I got to checking and found there were only one or two Register of Deeds offices in the state which had computerized records at that time. One of those places was Montgomery County so I went there and looked at their system which seemed to be as big as the room it was in. I asked them what it cost and discovered it was not something DeKalb County could afford. I came back and talked to the County Mayor at that time, Keith Garrett and members of the county commission including two in particular, Joe Johnson and Robert Rowe. They asked if I would accept a system if they could find someone to write a program for it. I agreed and we contacted Mike Fairchild who was running the airport. He wrote us a system that ran on the old Apple iMac and we started computerizing and indexing although there were no images. It worked so well I hired a couple of high school girls to come in and index after school and we got quite a bit of our records on there. Later an attorney from Gallatin approached me about buying the system. He learned about it through his mother who was doing his title work for him. I told him we could not sell the system because it belonged to the county and was set up by Mr. Fairchild who owned the program. He then offered to buy our office all new equipment if we and Fairchild would let him use the program too for his title company and that is the deal we made and operated under for several years. We later ended up doing business with a company in Smyrna called PROGRESS, which was putting in new systems at offices across the state and we still use it. I try not to spend any money that is not necessary and save back as much as I can for any needed updates. I have been fortunate to stay within budget and still have the technology to better provide the services. Unlike when I started, we take credit cards and do e-filings and things like that now. In fact, these days we don’t see a lot of the public or attorneys in the office like we once did because so much is done on-line,” said McMillen.

Another big change came a few years ago when the Offices of the Register of Deeds, County Clerk, Trustee, and Assessor of Property relocated from the courthouse to the County Complex.

McMillen, who supported the move at the time, still thinks it was a good idea.

“One of the reasons we moved was because of room. We just didn’t have enough space. Today we have plenty of room and the service is better. Although we don’t print books anymore, we still can if someone has a need, and we have scanners with which we can do plats. From 1837 to today everything, including all the indexes and images, are on computer at the touch of your fingers. It is much easier now to do genealogy work, find out if there is an easement across your property, and so much more. Having that technology and added space has made everything more efficient so this building has been good for us,” he said.

After he leaves office almost fourteen months from now, McMillen said he still plans to remain active in the community with a couple of sideline business interests he has had for some 30 years and his continued involvement as a member of the DeKalb County Fair Board where he serves as fair manager, and with the Alexandria Lions Club.

“I joined the Lion’s Club around 1987. It is a great organization. We do a lot of community things most people probably don’t know about including the funding of a high school scholarship and providing eyeglasses and food baskets for people. In 1990 we built a ballpark in Alexandria and although there is no organized league that plays on it the field is available for people to use. The Lion’s Club does everything with volunteers and through fundraisers,” said McMillen.

“I have been part of the DeKalb County Fair Association since it was organized in 1994 after the City of Alexandria bought the fairgrounds and I have been the fair manager for the last eight or ten years. We have made a lot of improvements over the years including the addition of a new agriculture center. We built it two years ago although it is still not finished. We had to stop last year due to COVID, but we have applied for more grants hoping to have it up and fully functional by 2022. Our goal is for it to be a community building for use year-round by agriculture related organizations like 4-H, FFA, Century Farms and others in addition to the fair,” he said.

McMillen is most thankful for the support of his wife Shelia and son Sam who have stood by him over the years. Shelia has taught school for many years at DeKalb West School and Sam, a gifted baseball player, has made his mark at the collegiate level.

He is also grateful to his employees for the work they have done for him and the people of DeKalb County. “I owe a lot of credit to my employees past and present for their work in getting all our records re-indexed and images scanned in and doing the daily work asked of them. I will always be grateful to them”.

“It’s been awesome,” said McMillen when asked how much he has enjoyed serving as Register of Deeds for such a long time. “It will be hard going away from something I have done every day of my life for 36 years. It’s been great and I could never say thank you enough to the people of this county”.

Lastly, McMillen has a word of advice to whoever is elected as his successor.

“I hope the next person who comes in here provides the service we have tried to provide and be a community person because this is a service job. It’s not about politics”.