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Missing teen's mom accused of lying

The mother of a missing 13-year-old cheerleader remained jailed in Texas Friday, a day after police say she lied about the whereabouts of her boyfriend, who was previously named a person of interest in the teen's disappearance.
Image: Billie Dunn, the mother of missing Colorado City teen Hailey Dunn
Billie Jean Dunn, the mother of missing teen Hailey Dunn, is accused of lying about the whereabouts of her former boyfriend.Victor Cristales / AP
/ Source: The Associated Press

The mother of a missing 13-year-old cheerleader remained jailed in Texas Friday, a day after police say she lied about the whereabouts of her boyfriend, who was previously named a person of interest in the teen's disappearance.

Billie Jean Dunn was arraigned in Colorado City on charges of misdemeanor hindering prosecution, possession of a dangerous drug and giving a false report to an officer.

"She did lie to a police officer whenever he (Shawn Adkins) was there," said Mitchell County Sheriff Patrick Toombs, referring to Thursday night.

Adkins was named as a person of interest several days after Dunn reported her daughter, Hailey Darlene Dunn, missing Dec. 28. He was never charged in her disappearance.

Armed with a search warrant for Adkins, officers first tried to execute it in Big Spring where they last knew Adkins was living, but he was not there, Toombs said.

Officers later found Adkins at Dunn's residence. He was searched but not arrested.

Toombs declined to say if officers were seeking blood, hair or saliva samples from Adkins.

"I'm not going to get into that," the sheriff said. "It could be that or it could be something he had on him."

Officers arrested Billie Jean Dunn late Thursday when officers found Adkins at her home after she denied he was there. They found the drugs while searching her house after she gave officers consent, Toombs said.

Adkins, the woman's former live-in boyfriend, said he last saw Hailey Dec. 27 when she told him she was going to her father's home nearby and then on to spend the night at a friend's home. She did neither.

Dunn was being held on bail of $6,500 and declined to have an attorney appointed when she was arraigned by Mitchell County Justice of the Peace James Williams.

The sheriff said Billie Jean Dunn and Adkins have been seeing each other on and off for the past few weeks. No one answered the door at Billie Jean Dunn's home early Friday. Two large dogs were chained and barking in the home's side and backyards.

Toombs said he did not expect other arrests Friday.

"We're hoping there'll be arrests down the road," said Toombs, adding that tips continue to come in. "We are still searching on the leads that we get," he said.

Toombs said Billie Jean Dunn has not been named as a person of interest.

But, "her arrest yesterday does not help her cause," he said.

Toombs said as many as 15 law enforcement officers continue to work the case, the puzzle pieces of which have come together "slower than we would have hoped."

Investigators hang onto hope and "hate" to think Hailey may be found dead, Toombs said.

"We try not to think about that but that is a possibility."