COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — New court documents reveal there was a rocky custody battle involving a Colorado Springs mother accused of killing two of her children before she disappeared.
Kimberlee Singler, 35, went back and forth for more than four years with her ex-husband over custody of their three children and time restrictions with their kids.
Singler filed the petition for divorce from her ex in 2018, according to court documents.
On May 22, 2019, the court considered a request from Singler to restrict the amount of time her ex-husband could spend with their children.
There were delays in setting a day and time for a trial hearing, according to court documents. By Aug. 28, 2019, Singler did not respond to the court's attempts to contact her. She was delivered a court summons to her home.
In 2020, the case was transferred to another judge, and court documents said the couple worked to come to a separation agreement and a co-parenting plan for their children after their divorce.
On Jan. 5, 2021, Singler filed a motion to move the children to Florida with her and assume "immediate sole and temporary parental responsibility," according to the court documents.
Singler and her ex-husband debated the request throughout 2021.
On Oct. 20, 2022, the ex-husband filed an emergency motion to "prevent abduction and to terminate the stipulated order" allowing the children to move to Florida with Stingler. About a week later, the court scheduled an abduction prevention hearing, but Singler did not show up again. They attempted to contact her by phone and mail to her home address.
On May 13, 2023, the ex-husband asked the court to modify parenting time. A month afterward, the court appointed a child and family investigator.
On Aug. 7, 2023, there was a court order for Singler to appear in response to her emergency motion to restrict her ex-husband's parenting time. Singler failed to appear, according to court documents, after sufficient time was given for her to make it to court. The court did not move forward with her request to limit her ex-husband's time with the children.
She then filed again to restrict her ex-husband's parenting time on Aug. 22, 2023. There was a delay in Singler arriving in court.
After testimony, the court ruled on Sept. 9, 2023, it did not find that time with the children's father would "endanger their physical health or impair their emotional development." The court denied Singler's motion to restrict her ex-husband's parenting time.
The court did, however, on Sept. 29, 2023, grant the mother's motion to restrict her ex-husband's time with the kids until an investigation into two claims against him could be completed. The children's father was accused of felony menacing and false reporting after allegedly "pulling a knife." Both parents were ordered to submit to a polygraph test, according to court documents.
On Nov. 7, 2023, the court denied Singler's request to be excluded from polygraph testing, the court document said. Ten days later, after hearing testimony on the matter, the court decided the ex-husband would not endanger the children's physical health or impair their emotional development and terminated the restriction on his parenting time.
At that point, the court ordered Singler and her ex-husband to communicate solely through the parenting app AppClose.
Singler was ordered to bring her children to visit her ex-husband between Dec. 16 and Dec. 31, according to court documents, to make up for time he missed when the accusations against him were being investigated.
Singler was scheduled to meet her ex-husband with the kids at the Colorado Springs Police Department's Stetson Hills Substation at 9 a.m. on Dec. 16.
It is unclear at this time if Singler showed up for that meeting, but court documents said her ex-husband made an emergency motion for police to enforce the custody agreement the next day on Dec. 17.
Singler was seen on Dec. 23, Colorado Springs police said, after a burglary was reported on Dec. 19 around 12:30 a.m. at a home near the intersection of N. Powers Boulevard and Stetson Hills Boulevard.
Singler and her 11-year-old daughter were found injured at the residence, police said. Officers also found a 9-year-old girl and 7-year-old boy dead, also children of Singler's.
Singler and her injured 11-year-old daughter were taken to a nearby hospital. Singler was allowed to leave the hospital because police believed she was a victim and a witness at the time.
The Colorado Springs Police Department Homicide Unit then took over the investigation and determined the burglary report was unfounded.
Investigators issued an arrest warrant for Singler on Dec. 26. Police said they do not know where she is, but the CSPD’s Violent Offender Fugitive Task Force is currently searching for her.
Anybody with information on this case is asked to call the Colorado Springs Police Department at 719-444-7000. To remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
The 11-year-old daughter is safe, police said.
Singler is wanted on the following charges:
- Four counts of first-degree murder (Class 1 felony) — two counts being for murder and attempted murder with intent after deliberation; and the other two for murder and attempted murder of a child under the age of 12 by a person in a position of trust
- Two counts of attempted first-degree murder
- Two counts of child abuse (Class 2 felony)
- Child abuse (Class 3 felony)
- First degree-assault
