Deadline for Woman Missing in Custody Case

A judge refereeing a child-custody dispute between former lesbian partners balked Friday at issuing a contempt citation for one of them and instead gave her 30 days to appear in court with the girl or face arrest.

Lisa Miller has disappeared with 7-year-old Isabella Miller-Jenkins, and Miller's former partner renewed her call for help finding the girl.

"Every day I wonder where she is, and if she's OK," said Janet Jenkins, of Fair Haven. "Every time the phone rings, I hope it is someone calling to tell me they have found her."

Miller, the girl's biological mother, was ordered to surrender custody of Isabella on Jan. 1, but she failed to do so. The girl is now considered a missing person.

On Friday, Family Court Judge William Cohen - who had ordered the custody change two months ago - rejected Jenkins' plea for a contempt-of-court citation against Miller but found her in violation of his previous order. He set a Feb. 23 court date, saying if Miller doesn't appear with the child then, he would issue a warrant for her arrest.

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