‘She’s not OK.’ Mentally ill woman missing after error led to her release from Lexington jail

A family is searching for answers after a 26-year-old woman has not been seen or heard from since she was mistakenly released from the Fayette County jail earlier this month.

On Oct. 8, Fayette County District Judge Kim Wilkie signed for Natalie Maurer to be released from jail. She was in jail on shoplifting and possession of a controlled substance charges. (Wilkie said Thursday that he could not discuss the case because it involves confidential matters.)

At 3:51 p.m. Oct. 8, the jail received an email from the court for her to be released, according to Lt. Matthew LeMonds, public information officer for the jail. Maurer was released from custody at 7:09 p.m., LeMonds said.

But at 7:52 p.m. — 42 minutes after Maurer was allowed to leave the jail — the court sent another email to the jail with an order of confinement for the 26-year-old mother.

LeMonds said he does not know why the first email was sent.

“This one caught me by surprise; there’s nothing we did outside of our protocol,” he said. “It’s an unfortunate series of events, but based on the information we had, we processed it all correctly.”

Maurer’s family is searching for her, as she has not been seen since Oct. 12. Lexington police spokeswoman Brenna Angel said there were sightings of Maurer in the North Broadway and 7th Street area, but there have not been any sightings of her this week.

Abby McIntyre, Maurer’s cousin, said they know she was walking to Salvation Army on West Main Street and she had checked in to places in or around the South Broadway Park and Lexington Manor neighborhoods in the past. She added that Maurer does not have a car.

Maurer’s family contacted police, and the missing person report was generated Oct. 15.

“I just want to know what happened to her,” Maurer’s mom, Linda Maurer, said in an email. “I’m pretty convinced that something has happened. I don’t know what, but I’m certain as I can be without proof, that she’s not OK.”

Maurer, the mother of a 3-year-old girl, has struggled with mental illness, but has no history of violence, her family stated.

There is a $5,000 reward for information that leads to finding Maurer.

“Natalie’s family is hopeful for her safe return,” her mother stated. “Even in the most grim of circumstances, we are all desperate for her to be found. If you have any information regarding her whereabouts or if you have seen or spoken to her since Oct. 8, please contact authorities immediately.”

There is an active warrant out for Maurer, since she was not supposed to be released from jail.

Maurer is 5-feet 6 and between 115 and 130 pounds. She has brown hair, green eyes and has three tattoos — a peace sign on her hip, a cross on her wrist, and “Zoey” scribed on her foot. If you have any information about where Maurer could be, contact Lexington police 859-258-3722.

This story was originally published October 25, 2018 at 1:42 PM.