Salt Lake County sheriff's detectives planned to meet with prosecutors Wednesday to determine whether charges will be filed against the mother of a malnourished 6-year-old girl who turned up unannounced at a Holladay woman's home.
Police have been searching for Lezlee Magee since March 11, when 6-year-old Kayla Magee was found. Lezlee Magee showed up Tuesday at the sheriff's office, asking to speak with the person working on the case, deputy Peggy Faulkner said.Detective Steve Jentsch met with Lezlee Magee but did not arrest her.
"She said she wanted to get it resolved," Jentsch said. "She said her car had broken down and she couldn't get here before."
Magee refused, however, to tell police where she has been other than to say "out of state." She also refused to disclose the location of her three other children, Jentsch said.
Juvenile court authorities have issued a "pick-up" order on the boys, ages 2, 5 and 9, so their condition can be assessed, Jentsch said. Detectives continue to look for the children.
Authorities are concerned about the boys because at 4 feet tall, their 6-year-old sister weighed a mere 33 pounds and was found wearing only shorts, a T-shirt and shoes on a cold March night. An average 6-year-old girl weighs about 50 pounds.
Failure to disclose the location of the other children could land Lezlee Magee, who at times spelled her name Lezlie, in further legal trouble, Jentsch said.
Lezlee Magee and her late husband, Kevin Magee, also have a history of child abuse. In 1991, the couple was convicted of class B misdemeanor child abuse, after the death of their infant daughter, Karrisa.
Lezlee Magee did not ask about her Kayla during her conversation with Jentsch Tuesday, Faulkner said. The girl is currently in a Division of Child and Family Services foster home.
"She did not once ask how Kayla was, where she was . . . if she could have her back," Faulkner said.
Jenstch said his impression was that Lezlee Magee had already determined the girl would not be returned to her custody. Jentsch said it was unclear if the woman has a job or a permanent residence where her other children might get appropriate care.
"It didn't come up," he said.
Asked about the circumstances that led Kayla Magee to wander into Debbie Carlsen's home, 1549 E. 4500 South, Lezlee Magee said the family had been in the area visiting a bishop of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She also said that Kayla had been spending the majority of her time with her grandmother who lives in Salt Lake City.
Kayla Magee told police she had been waiting in a van for her mother but left when she got cold.
Lezlee Magee also told detectives she felt she had been unfairly characterized in media reports.