A Joplin woman stole $13,000 from her daughter's home in Carl Junction to finance a gambling trip to Downstream Casino, according to a probable cause statement filed today in Jasper County Circuit Court.
The Jasper County Prosecuting Attorney filed a stealing charge against Cynthia L. Pearson-Shields (DOB 1977).
From the probable cause statement:
Between 10/29/2025 and 11/05/2025, the victims were out of state, and during that time Cynthia L. (Pearson) Shields was responsible for caring for their residence and admitted she was repeatedly inside their home. The suspect is the victim’s mother.Shields stated the residence was secured by a coded door lock and that the door code was sent directly to her by the victim via text message on 10/29/2025.
Upon the victims’ return on 11/05/2025, a Sentry Safe cash box containing approximately $13,000 in U.S. currency was discovered missing, with no signs of forced entry and no other significant property taken.
Shields initially denied knowing the location of the stolen cash box or the coffee container used to store change which was on top of the cash box. The coffee container would have had to be moved in order to access the cash box.
Shields stated in a text message to the victim that she did not know what change bucket investigators were referring to. During a later interview conducted by Det. Dagnan, Shields stated she would not be surprised if her fingerprints were found on the change container and admitted she had been inside the office where the safe was kept, had moved furniture in that room, and may have handled the container that had to be moved,
Shields’ other son, Avien Shields, stated he was inside the residence on only one occasion without his mother during the time the victims were gone and denied any knowledge of the cash box or change container, denied taking any money, and stated that his mother had a gambling problem, and he did not
believe she was employed during this period of time.
believe she was employed during this period of time.
On 10/30/2025 Shields won a documented casino jackpot in the amount of $2,500 at Downstream Casino.
Another witness, Jodee Halverson stated that she had accompanied Shields to the victim’s residence during the vacation period and remained in the vehicle while Shields entered the victim’s home alone, and that Shields returned with money which she handed out so they could go to the casino.
A cosmetic item that had been left inside the residence for return was also discovered missing. Shields later admitted to the victim after being confronted, that she took that item. Shields provided inconsistent statements regarding who was present at the residence, the vehicles used, and the dates of entry.
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