Viswa Vanapalli
Marie Carlson was a 37-year-old mother of two who was reported missing sometime in October 2011. At the time, she had been living with James and Tanya Flanders and had been in a polygamous relationship with them. Ultimately, the investigation led the authorities to James, who admitted to killing Marie during a confrontation. NBC News’ ‘Dateline: Secrets on the Emerald Coast’ delves into what happened with Marie and how her two daughters tragically ended up without their mother.
Paris Carlson Was 7 Years Old and Grace Flanders Was 3 Months Old When They Lost Their Mother
Marie’s first daughter, Paris, was born during her marriage to Jeff Carlson. While the couple divorced eventually, they remained committed to raising their daughter together. After the divorce, Marie drifted for a while before finding a home in Florida; she joined the Cavalry Emerald Coast Church in Fort Walton Beach, where James Flanders was the pastor. It seemed like things had been going well, with Marie moving in with James and Tanya.
At the time, James and Tanya had reportedly been helping Marie get back on her feet. Soon after that, the latter got pregnant and gave birth to Grace, who was about 3 months old when her mother suddenly disappeared in October 2011. Her elder daughter, Paris, with whom she maintained a strong bond despite the distance, was 7 years old. As per the show, everyone was initially told that Grace’s father was an abusive boyfriend who left Marie, with James and Tanya now helping care for the little girl. However, investigations revealed the polygamous relationship between the three individuals.
Tanya had mentioned to the police that Marie agreed to be a surrogate mother. It was initially indicated that the plan was for Marie to give birth to Grace and then let the Flanders formally adopt her. However, Tanya claimed that in the time leading up to the incident, Marie closed off to the idea of the adoption. So, when she disappeared suddenly, loved ones were puzzled because she was a dedicated mother – it was unusual for her not to contact Paris or decide to leave behind Grace.
Marie Carlson’s Kids Are Leading a Good Life With Their Guardians
Through the combination of circumstantial evidence and a confession, the authorities were able to put James Flanders behind bars for killing Marie and burying her in their backyard in 2016. As for the children, Paris’ father, Jeff, had custody of the child at the time. From what we can tell, the Bowling Green, Kentucky, native is now about 22 years old and leading a blissful life. She is building a life of her own these days, having likely graduated from both high school and college.
As for Grace, in 2013, James and Tanya Flanderd were granted sole legal and physical custody of her. After the former’s arrest, Marie’s parents filed to get custody, but after exhausting almost all legal options, Tanya retained custody of the little girl. According to Marie’s loved ones, she wasn’t happy with the court ordering video visits between the family and Grace. So, today, it seems like Grace resides in Cochise, Arizona, in the care of Tanya and is likely in high school at the age of almost 15.
Read More: Where is Marie Carlson’s Ex-Husband Now?
You must be logged in to post a comment.