Madeline Kingsbury’s parents file to suspend Adam Fravel’s child visitation rights

WINONA, Minn. (FOX 9) - The parents of Madeline Kingsbury filed a motion in court Monday to prohibit Adam Fravel, Maddi’s ex-partner, from having contact with their children after being charged with murder. 

Fravel was in a custody battle for his children and appeared in court just two days before he was arrested for Maddi’s murder. Under the current order, Fravel is allowed to have supervised visits with his children, ages 5 and 2, but Maddi’s parents are trying to reverse the order in case he posts the $1 million bail. 

"In the event Mr. Fravel posts bail or bond and is released from custody, he would still be entitled to visits with the children pursuant to the Court’s order. This is absolutely not in the children’s best interests and poses a significant safety risk to the children," the Kingsbury’s attorney wrote in the petition.

The motion cited Fravel’s concerning behavior towards authorities when the children were placed on a 72-hour hold after Maddi was reported missing. Fravel allegedly refused social workers to meet with the children and locked himself inside with his 2-year-old child. Once he handed over the children, he was "unwilling" to grab their belongings, so they left with only the clothes they were wearing, the petition alleges. 

Fravel didn’t have custody of the children before Maddi was reported missing in late March. He previously denied any involvement in her disappearance, but when her body was found on a remote stretch of Highway 43 on June 7, Fravel was arrested later that evening and charged with two counts of second-degree murder on June 9. 

"[Fravel] is suspected to be the one who ripped these children’s mother away, forcing them to live a life without her presence. It is absolutely not appropriate nor in the children’s best interests for Mr. Fravel to have any access to them, even supervised… allowing Mr. Fravel to see the children puts them directly in harms way. The children have already suffered an immeasurable loss; putting them at risk for more harm is against their best interests," the Kingsbury’s attorney wrote.

The attorney noted that given his past behavior Fravel is a flight risk, and "there is every reason to believe he would flee with the children," the petition reads. The attorney is asking the court to suspend all contact between Fravel and the children immediately. 

The children remain in Winona County's custody but are currently living with Maddi’s parents. 

Here’s what we know about Maddi's disappearance so far and the timeline of the investigation.