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Jon Collins

3 charged in Lakeville girls' disappearance

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Three people have been charged with helping a Scott County woman hide her two teenage daughters from their father for more than two years.

Law enforcement officials searched for Gianna and Samantha Rucki, now aged 15 and 17, after they disappeared from their paternal aunt's house in April 2013. Their mother, Sandra Grazzini-Rucki, denied knowing where the girls were throughout the investigation.

After interviewing people acquainted with Grazzini-Rucki and exercising search warrants, investigators found the girls at a Grant County ranch last month. Grazzini-Rucki was charged last month with six felony counts of deprivation of custodial rights.

Dakota County prosecutors charged Gina Schmit Dahlen and Douglas Craig Dahlen this week. The couple runs the White Horse Ranch in Herman, Minn., where the girls were found. Both face two felony charges for intentionally depriving a parent of their custodial rights.

When investigators found the teenage girls at the ranch in November, Doug Dahlen said they'd been there for about two and a half years.

The ranch's website describes it as "a non-profit faith-based horse ranch where children and families can experience healing and wholeness through animals and the grace of God's love."

The Dahlens did not respond to requests for comment.

Also facing two felony charges is Deirdre Elise Evavold.

Investigators say that a woman identified only as "LM" in the criminal complaint told a Lakeville police detective that Evavold brought Grazzini-Rucki to her house after the girls disappeared.

Investigators say that LM is a friend of former KMSP reporter Trish Van Pilsum, and helped arrange an interview with the girls in a hotel room in the month after their disappearance.

Investigators traced activity on Grazzini-Rucki's Facebook page to an IP address associated with Evavold's family in St. Cloud.

A search warrant executed at Evavold's home in October led to the discovery of a picture of one of the missing girls hugging a donkey and a photo that could be traced to an area near an auto shop owned by Doug Dahlen. Evavold could not be reached for comment.

Correction (Dec. 12, 2015): A previous version of this story misidentified former KMSP reporter Trish Van Pilsum's relationship with one of the suspects, Dierdre Evavold. Evavold was a source of Van Pilsum's, not a friend. The story has been updated.