KS ZABE MENDEZ: Missing from Topeka, KS - 18 July 2025 - Age 2 *Found Safe*

Amber Alert issued after Topeka 2-year-old 'forcibly taken from his mother,' KBI says

The alert says that the boy was "forcibly taken from his mother" by a stranger and that he is in "imminent danger."

www.kmbc.com

Amber Alert issued after Topeka 2-year-old 'forcibly taken from his mother,' KBI says​

A 2-year-old was reportedly abducted out of Topeka, Kansas, on Friday, prompting authorities to issue an Amber Alert on Tuesday.

The Kansas Bureau of Investigations is searching for 2-year-old Zabe Mendez, who was last seen in the 500 block of Northeast Wabash Avenue in Topeka.

The alert says that Mendez was "forcibly taken from his mother" by a stranger and that he is in "imminent danger."

His mother's white, four-door Lexus with a possible Kansas tag No. 4003AHF is also missing. The Lexus is an IS 250 and a 2008.

It's not yet clear why the Amber Alert was issued days after the reported abduction.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

2 found dead in Kansas home leads to Amber Alert; toddler found safe

The Kansas Bureau of investigation issued the alert late Tuesday morning, but the agency said Zabe Mendez was forcibly taken from his mother in the 500 block of NE Wabash

www.kake.com

KBI issues Amber Alert for abducted 2-year-old Topeka boy​

An Amber Alert has been issued for a Topeka 2-year-old who was last seen on Friday.

Zabe Mendez was forcibly taken from his mother by an unknown suspect in the 500 block of NE Wabash. He is 2 feet, 5 inches tall, weighs 40 pounds, has brown hair and brown eyes. His clothing description is unknown.

Police are searching for a suspect, 42-year-old Christopher Barnshaw. He has brown hair and brown eyes.

In addition, Mendez' mother's white 2008 Lexus IS 250, with the Kansas license plate 4003AHF, is also missing.

 

[Guess Who]

2 found dead in Kansas home leads to Amber Alert; toddler found safe

The Kansas Bureau of investigation issued the alert late Tuesday morning, but the agency said Zabe Mendez was forcibly taken from his mother in the 500 block of NE Wabash

www.kake.com

KBI issues Amber Alert for abducted 2-year-old Topeka boy​

An Amber Alert has been issued for a Topeka 2-year-old who was last seen on Friday.

Zabe Mendez was forcibly taken from his mother by an unknown suspect in the 500 block of NE Wabash. He is 2 feet, 5 inches tall, weighs 40 pounds, has brown hair and brown eyes. His clothing description is unknown.

Police are searching for a suspect, 42-year-old Christopher Barnshaw. He has brown hair and brown eyes.

In addition, Mendez' mother's white 2008 Lexus IS 250, with the Kansas license plate 4003AHF, is also missing.

View attachment 26133

That would have been nice to know on Friday. Saturday at the very least .

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Topeka child Zabe Mendez, subject of an Amber Alert, found safe Tuesday in Illinois

Body found in home in 500 block of N.E. Wabash.

www.wibw.com

Amber Alert: Topeka child found safe in Illinois​

A Topeka child who was the subject of an Amber Alert has been found safe in Illinois, officials said.

Topeka police have confirmed that one person was found dead at the Oakland home where a 2-year-old child was reported to be abducted this past Friday.

The body was reported to have been discovered around 9:58 a.m. Tuesday at a residence in the 500 block of N.E. Wasbash Avenue.

Police told 13 NEWS that it was the same address where Zabe Mendez was reported to have been taken forcibly from the residence this past Friday, July 18.

Additional details were expected to be released Tuesday afternoon by Topeka police.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

That would have been nice to know on Friday. Saturday at the very least .

That's what I thought. But it now sounds like his mother was murdered, and that's why nobody knew until now.

 

[Guess Who]

Topeka child Zabe Mendez, subject of an Amber Alert, found safe Tuesday in Illinois

Body found in home in 500 block of N.E. Wabash.

www.wibw.com

Amber Alert: Topeka child found safe in Illinois​

A Topeka child who was the subject of an Amber Alert has been found safe in Illinois, officials said.

Topeka police have confirmed that one person was found dead at the Oakland home where a 2-year-old child was reported to be abducted this past Friday.

The body was reported to have been discovered around 9:58 a.m. Tuesday at a residence in the 500 block of N.E. Wasbash Avenue.

Police told 13 NEWS that it was the same address where Zabe Mendez was reported to have been taken forcibly from the residence this past Friday, July 18.

Additional details were expected to be released Tuesday afternoon by Topeka police.

This actually makes the story even more convoluted to me. Unless it was through combing possible camera evidence of him being removed on Friday... And by whom.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Two dead at Topeka home where Zabe Mendez, 2, was abducted, officials say

The child and a suspect were located Tuesday in Illinois.

www.wibw.com

Two dead at Topeka home where Zabe Mendez, 2, was abducted, officials say​

Two people were found dead at the Topeka home where a 2-year-old boy was reported to have been abducted this past Friday, officials said.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Man accused of kidnapping child charged with murder of two Topekans

Christopher K.W. Barnshaw, 32, has been charged with murdering two Topekans.

www.wibw.com

Man accused of kidnapping child charged with murder of two Topekans​

The man accused of kidnapping a Topeka child has been charged with murdering two Topekans.

According to a press release sent by Shawnee Co. District Attorney Mike Kagay, Christopher K.W. Barnshaw, 32, was charged with the homicides of Sean E. Thornton, 55, and Ashley T. Brown, 29, both of Topeka.

On July 23, 2025, Barnshaw was formally charged with the following crimes:

• Murder in the First Degree (Premeditation) –Off Grid Felony
• Murder in the First Degree (Premeditation) –Off Grid Felony
• Aggravated Burglary of a Dwelling- Level 4 Felony
• Aggravated Endangering a Child- Level 9 Felony
• Kidnapping; Flight or the commission of any crime-Level 3 Felony

Barnshaw’s bond for his Shawnee County case is set at $10 million.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Sister of abducted Topeka boy heartbroken over deaths she believes were preventable

“It breaks my heart for him just knowing that not only does he not get to have his mom growing up, but he lost her in the most traumatic way possible.”

www.wibw.com

Sister of abducted Topeka boy heartbroken over deaths she believes were preventable​

Julia Mendez has experienced overwhelming waves of emotion over the past few days.

Her brother, Zabe Mendez, was the toddler taken more than six hours from home by the man who was accused of killing his mother and grandfather.

Zabe made it home around 10:30 p.m. on July 22, returned safely to his and Julia’s father, Robby Mendez.

Julia says she is relieved her brother is unharmed, but heartbroken over the losses of Zabe’s mother, Ashley Brown, and his grandfather Sean Thornton. She is also angry, thinking about how this could have been avoided.

“Ashley was a great mom,” Julia said. “She always wanted to do stuff with Zabe, and you know she was in her healing era, she wanted to be the best mother she could be to Zabe.”

As a mother herself, Julia is devastated knowing her brother will grow up without his.

“It breaks my heart for him just knowing that not only does he not get to have his mom growing up, but he lost her in the most traumatic way possible.”

The Mendez’s assert that Christopher Barnshaw, now charged in the murders of Brown and Thornton, suffered from untreated mental health issues and previously spent time behind bars, but she never saw his family’s love waver.

“Ashley would always feed him, she would try to help him as much as she could without letting it interfere with her life,” Julia explained. “She loved him, but sometimes love can get you killed.”

A tragedy, Julia believes, was preventable.

“Like if someone could have done more to keep him on his meds or be more of an advocate for him to go get help, maybe these people would still be here.”

Regardless, now she’s surrounding her father and brother with love, as they navigate a new normal.

“The only thing I want for my dad is to lean on people that love him during all of this, because it is not going to be easy, and I just don’t want my dad or Zabe to suffer,” Julia said.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Document indicates Topeka man and his daughter killed in July were shot

A Topeka man charged with the killings of his father and sister has "schizophrenic mental health issues," says the charging affidavit in the case.

www.cjonline.com

Document indicates Topeka man and his daughter killed in July were shot​

The Topeka man charged with the July killings of his father and sister in northeast Topeka's Oakland community has "schizophrenic mental health issues," says the charging affidavit in the case, a redacted version of which was made public Sept. 24.

Law enforcement officers found July 22 that at least two bullets were fired inside the house involved, where the victims' bodies were then dragged downstairs, the affidavit said.

It said Sean Thornton, the father of 33-year-old Christopher K. Barnshaw, had called Topeka police four days earlier asking them to remove Barnshaw from that home, saying he was not welcome there, and was told to call 911 if he returned.

The affidavit said Barnshaw then came and went from the house several more times before Thornton, 55, and 29-year-old Ashley T. Brown, Thornton's daughter and Barnshaw sister, were found dead there July 22.

A window air conditioning unit was found to have been pushed out of a window above the house's front porch from the outside and was lying on the floor inside, the affidavit said.

More than 40 lines of copy were redacted from the affidavit, which said crime scenes linked to the double homicide were subsequently found in Falls City, Nebraska, and Mattoon, Illinois.

It was in the latter city that police on July 22 arrested Barnshaw and rescued Brown's 2-year-old son, Zabe Mendez, whom Barnshaw is accused of abducting.