San Bernadino County deputies rescue Fallon girl

A father who did not return his daughter to her mother after a weekend visitation in Fallon was arrested Wednesday morning by San Bernadino County (Calif.) Sheriff’s deputies from the Twin Peak substation and U.S. Marshals.

Fallon Police Department Capt. Ron Wenger said Inshan “Shan” Ross was arrested at his Running Springs home without incident. FPD had issued warrants on Tuesday charging Ross with second-degree kidnapping and custodial interference. His bail has been set at $55,000.

Wenger said law enforcement officers kept surveillance on Ross’ residence during the night because they wanted to approach Ross in the daylight. Wenger said his 14-year-old daughter, Jasmine Ross, was in good shape and was in no danger during the ordeal. She was sleeping when authorizes approached the house. Wenger said both the Fallon police and San Bernadino County are involved with a difficult situation.

“It’s a very complex custody issue based on differing state laws,” Wenger said.

For that reason, Wenger said officials had been treating this as a missing/runaway juvenile.

Running Springs, a community of 4,862 residents in the San Bernadino Mountains, is located near the metropolitan areas of San Bernadino and Riverside.

Wenger said both the FPD and San Bernadino County were involved with a difficult situation based on each state’s different interpretations on custody laws.

Wenger said the girl’s mother, Stacey Bowles, allowed her daughter to visit Ross because he was trying to reconnect with his daughter. Bowles and Ross were never married, but Wenger said Bowles agreed to allow Ross to visit the girl in Fallon for a set time. Ross reportedly picked the child up at Bowles home.

Wenger said the missing girl never returned home to her mother Saturday night after seeing her father.

Once Bowles involved the FPD, Wenger said local officials asked the Reno Police Department to check several motels where Ross and his daughter may have checked in, but those attempts were unsuccessful.

Wenger said authorities located Ross’ cellphone location, and the search then shifted to southern California.

Wenger said the girl has been turned over to the California Division of Child and Family Services in San Bernadino County and that Bowles is in contact with the agency to make arrangements for her daughter’s return to Fallon.