Crestline child, mother last seen with convicted sex offender

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

By DIANA K. SHARP
Editor
editor@galioninquirer.com

Wearing a white t-shirt with the Disney figure Minnie Mouse on the front and light purple shorts that read “Sweet” on their front, Haylee Elizabeth Jade Donathan, 3, was last seen on May 28, 2009. Haylee is 37 pounds, 2’5” tall, brown shoulder-length hair and, blue eyes.

Both Haylee and her mother, Candace K. Watson, 24, were in the company of a an individual now wanted by the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correc-tion’s Adult Parole Auth-ority for violating the conditon of his supervision, that individual, Watson’s boyfriend, is Robbi Doug-las Potter, 27.

Potter was admitted to prison in December of 2006 for a third-degree felony conviction for sexual battery of a minor, an incident that occured here in Crawford County.

Now a Tier III sex offender, Potter was recently released on May 28, 2009 and was to take residence at a Volunteers of America halfway house located in Richland County but instead was said to have walked way from the facility on the same day of his release. A warrant has been issued for him.

Donathan, Watson, and Potter are thought to be traveling in a blue or black Chevrolet pickup truck with an Ohio plate license number Q645916. Potter is approximately 6 feet tall and weighs around 200 pounds. Potter has a tattoo on his rigth arm of a dream catcher and angel; on his left is the name Naomi. Watson is 5’1” tall and approximately 170 pounds. She was last seen wearing a tank top and brown shorts.

According to Officer Joe Butler of the Crestline Police Department, leads indicate that the missing girl and her mother are with Potter and may have been camping in Southern Ohio as indicated on Watson’s myspace page.

More recent leads indicate that Potter may be moving into more southern or even western states. A meeting of law enforcement is expected to be held on Wednesday morning involving the Attorney General’s Office, the US Marshall’s, BCI, along with local law enforcement presently working to find Haylee.

Butler stated that while the Attorney General’s Office has issued a missing child alert, and information that can be found at their website, http://www.mcc.ag.state.oh.us/AvailableServices.aspx, no amber alert has been issued.

Calls for service were received by the Crestline Police Department on June 1 from Watson’s mother, Mary Watson, and Watson’s roomate, Samantha Covert; both were concerned for the welfare of Haylee and her mother.

Watson’s mother, Mary, is concernedfor the safety of her daughter and grandchild.  She believes Potter has abducted her daughter and grandchild gainst their will, “He manipulated her. He told her how beautiful she was an what a good mother.  He lied to her and said it was a 17-year-old that he took across state lines.“she said late this afternoon. The family states that there are no updates as to where the missing are.

If anyone has information concerning the disappearance of Haylee, please contact the Crestline Police Department at 419-683-2222.