The Daily Populous Sunday April 20th, 2025 evening edition
Authored by wsfa.com and submitted by DA-DJ

LEE’S SUMMIT, Mo. (KCTV/Gray News) - A burglar in Missouri who was found in a child’s bedroom has been charged with three felony crimes following his arrest Wednesday night.

According to court records in Jackson County, 42-year-old Robert McDowell III has been charged with felony first-degree burglary and two counts of possession of child pornography.

Lee’s Summit Missouri Police Department said officers were called to a burglary in progress at a home in the 1100 block of SE 11th Street at about 11 p.m. Wednesday.

Police said a husband and his wife reported hearing a noise from down the hall that night. The homeowner said he believed the noise was his son so he got up to check it out.

But when he approached his 9-year-old daughter’s bedroom, he noticed the door was open and found a man, later identified as McDowell, standing in front of her bunk bed with a hand on the bed.

Authorities reported the girl’s father then grabbed McDowell and hit him several times while his wife called police.

Court records said the homeowner and officers both observed McDowell to be erratic and his speech to be difficult to understand.

Investigators said McDowell told them he had used methamphetamine over the weekend and was unaware of what city he was in or where he was.

On Thursday, a search warrant was obtained for police to look through McDowell’s phone. A preliminary search of his phone found at least six images of child pornography.

McDowell is currently being held in the Jackson County Detention Center on an $80,000 bond.

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yankykiwi on April 20th, 2025 at 10:23 UTC »

How do you go back to life after this? I felt violated when thieves hang out in my car for 10minutes, let alone my kids room being creeps.

fulltrendypro on April 20th, 2025 at 09:09 UTC »

That father showed more restraint than most of us would. Unthinkable situation — he did exactly what a parent should.

DA-DJ on April 20th, 2025 at 08:48 UTC »

Authorities reported the girl’s father then grabbed McDowell and hit him several times while his wife called police.