Friday 11:30AM Update: Judge Puts Dad of Missing Evansdale Girl Under Supervision

KCRG/Gazette/Courier Staff Reports

Misty and Dan Morrissey speak to the media near Meyers Lake where their daughter Lyric Cook-Morrissey, 10, and Elizabeth Collins, 8, disappeared last Friday, Tuesday, July 17, 2012, in Evansdale, Iowa. The girls' bikes were found Friday afternoon near a bike trail at the edge of the lake. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

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By Aaron Hepker

Story Created: Jul 20, 2012 at 11:49 AM CDT

Story Updated: Jul 21, 2012 at 4:55 PM CDT

WATERLOO, Iowa - A judge has placed the father of a missing girl under supervision in connection with a pending drug trial.

The court has also modified a no-contact order to keep him apart from his wife, the girl’s mother, in relation to a pending domestic violence case.

Daniel Morrissey, father of 10-year-old Lyric Cook-Morrissey, has been out on bond since May 11 in connection with two methamphetamine arrests December 2011.

And a court order has kept him and Misty Morrissey apart since October 2011.

Despite the order, the two have appeared in public a number of times in the days following the disappearance, both at Meyers Lake in Evandale and on national television.

On Friday, Judge James Coil changed the order to allow the two to be together in relation to the missing person investigation.

Daniel and Misty Morrissey “may have personal contact and may be in the presence of one another in public in connection with the ongoing investigation concerning their daughter while also in the presence of law enforcement officials,” the order reads.

On Thursday, prosecutors with the Black Hawk County Attorney’s Office asked a judge to review Morrissey’s release, pointing out that Iowa Code state people charged with conspiracy to manufacture meth being a second offender — one of the charges Morrissey is facing — shall be under supervision as a condition of their release.

Judge Jon Fister approved the request, placing Morrissey under supervision of the Iowa Department of Correctional Services’ retrial supervision program.

Authorities said Thursday that Morrissey and his wife have stopped cooperating with the investigation. Black Hawk County Chief Deputy Rick Abben says he’s not sure why they’ve taken that approach, but they aren’t considered suspects.

Court records also show that on Friday, prosecutors posted a notice they are adding additional evidence in the drug case. Details about the additional evidence weren’t available.

Morrissey had been scheduled to enter a plea in the meth case on July 12, the day before the Lyric and her cousin, 8-year-old Elizabeth Collins, disappeared, court records state. Court records filed in connection with the July 12 court appearance state that Morrissey “does not intend or is not prepared to enter a guilty plea at this time and wants this case reset for trial.”