The police reports released on Thursday also shed light on why there was a delay in notifying the chain of command and media about the abduction. Lt. Rob Schoonover, then the leader of the Sheriff's Office homicide unit, Sgt. Lonnie Mills, who led the squad of detectives called to the crime scene, and four communications officers were reprimanded for how they handled notifications and alerts in the abduction.
The internal investigation said Mills "had concerns regarding the mother's response to her child, and felt it was not unrealistic that the mother could have been lying."
The police reports spell that out in more detail.
Soon after police arrived at the Walmart, Perrywinkle told police she didn't want Cherish to go to California to see her father, as she was scheduled to do the next day. This led police to suspect Perrywinkle may have staged the abduction to keep her daughter from her dad.
Officers at the scene noticed a lack of tears when Perrywinkle was crying, found it odd that she and her boyfriend started arguing over purchases she made at the Dollar General and were surprised to hear her repeatedly say she believed Cherish had probably been raped and murdered in a matter of fact voice that displayed no emotion.