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Father blamed in Beach toddler's death

By LINDA MCNATT, JON FRANK AND AMY COUTEÉ
The Virginian-Pilot
November 28, 2006

Investigators think a Virginia Beach toddler who was found dead Sunday morning in a York County driveway was beaten and strangled by her father.

Police think the father, Michael D. Lowe, 49, of Virginia Beach then took his own life in a series of bizarre events that ended when he stepped into traffic on Interstate 64 in New Kent County.

Lowe was in the midst of divorce proceedings with his wife, Diane S. Lowe of Virginia Beach, and the couple shared custody of their child, Mali Lowe, who was 2.

Authorities said it was not unusual for the father to have Mali on weekends.

The York County Sheriff's Office said the girl died of strangulation and blunt force trauma to the head. It is not known when or where she was killed.

Investigators also are trying to determine why Lowe was in the York County area.

The series of events began Saturday night when residents of the Skimino Hills neighborhood in York County saw a strange car driving around the neighborhood for several hours.

A few hours later, about 4:15 a.m. Sunday, a car matching that description was in a head-on collision on Croaker Road in James City County. Police said Lowe was driving a borrowed 1997 Buick LeSabre when it ran head-on into another car.

Lakia Ruttley, a nurse's assistant, was pulling off I-64 when she saw the wreck and stopped to offer help.

She said she opened her door and began to step out of her Ford Explorer when Lowe climbed from the mangled car, said he was all right, then started yelling and charged toward her.

She said Lowe grabbed her arm, pulled her from the vehicle, put his hand on her face and pushed her to the ground, then drove off in the Explorer.

About 25 minutes later, the same Ford Explorer crashed in heavy fog along westbound I-64 in New Kent County. Witnesses said Lowe survived the crash, then walked into traffic.

He was hit by two vehicles, then struck by a tractor trailer, which killed him.

About two hours later, at 7 a.m. Sunday, the little girl's body was found in a driveway in Skimino Hills.

Tim Belliveau said he was on his way to church with his wife when he saw the body, lying on the driveway of a vacant home. The girl was wearing a pink shirt with flowers and purple pants with no shoes and socks.

Police searched Lowe's house Sunday, looking for bloody clothing or objects that might have been used to kill the girl. They seized 14 paper documents but nothing else.

Court papers reveal strains in the marriage.

The couple married in Kansas City in 2002. Mali, their only child, was born in April 2004. The couple separated in October 2005 and agreed to share custody of the child.

Lowe apparently was concerned that his wife would take his daughter out of the United States. He asked a judge to order his wife to file her passport and his daughter's passport at the courthouse.

At the same time, Diane Lowe asked the judge for an injunction to prevent her husband from "bothering, harassing, molesting or otherwise interfering" with her and her daughter.

Diane Lowe's divorce lawyer, Sheera Herrell, would not comment on the case Monday.

Michael Lowe's lawyer, Jim Evans, said Lowe had a white-collar job working with statistics but would not give more details.

Neighbors at Michael Lowe's apartment complex on Marina Lake Road said he appeared to be a good father. "He seemed to love her so much," said Sandra Feliciano, who lived nearby.

But Michael Lowe also struck his neighbors as a strange man. Feliciano said Lowe told her he was undergoing medical treatments that affected his mental functioning.

"He struck me as an odd person," said Christina Shipp, whose daughter sometimes played with Mali. "I felt that he was a little off."

At the Kempsville Lakes townhome where Mali lived with her mother, the blinds were shut Monday. A man who answered the door said the family did not want to talk and wanted Mali "to just rest in some peace."

[Auntie]

Being a victim is not the way this beautiful child would want to be remembered. Laughing precarious and smiling was our baby Mali and we love her much too and always will