Missouri mom allegedly coached her daughter to accuse dad of abuse or be killed. She made her ‘rehearse’ stories until she got them right
The truth came with a price
A custody dispute between parents should never put a child’s safety at risk. However, one Missouri girl allegedly found herself in a terrifying situation where telling the truth could have serious consequences. The person she reportedly feared most was her own mother.
Children should be able to speak freely about what happens at home. Yet, some are allegedly pressured to hide or change accounts of abuse. For this girl, investigators say the pressure went beyond words. She allegedly faced punishment whenever she failed to follow her mother’s instructions.
According to Law&Crime, 40-year-old Amy Rinkler of Missouri is accused of forcing her daughter to make false abuse allegations against her father during a bitter custody dispute. Police allege that Rinkler threatened to kill the girl if she refused to cooperate and made her practice fabricated statements until she got them right. She now faces a child abuse charge.
Getting it wrong wasn’t an option
The alleged abuse occurred between 2024 and 2026, according to a probable cause arrest affidavit. The Aurora Police Department began investigating in April 2026 after receiving a child abuse report.
During an interview with investigators, the girl revealed that she “did not feel safe” at her mother’s home. She reportedly feared Rinkler because her mother had threatened to kill her.
The girl told officers that Rinkler instructed her to accuse her father of hitting, kicking, and cursing at her. However, she maintained that those allegations were false.
Investigators learned that Rinkler allegedly kept the fabricated statements written in a folder. She reportedly forced her daughter to “rehearse statements” late at night or during weekends so she could repeat them correctly.
Making a mistake allegedly came with physical punishment. According to the affidavit, Rinkler would hit her daughter whenever she failed to deliver the statements as instructed.
The girl also described repeated verbal abuse. Her mother allegedly cursed at her, put her down, and called her “stupid.”
The allegations raised concerns about how much pressure the child had been under during the custody proceedings. Investigators also examined statements made by the girl and her sister earlier in the case.
Officials involved in the custody dispute had reportedly become suspicious because the sisters’ previous accounts were “largely identical.” Police said those statements appeared to have been influenced by their mother.
The girl’s emotional condition further concerned the professionals who interviewed her. Counselors described her as being in a “terrible emotional state.” According to investigators, the child “would keep her head down, would not make eye contact or speak, and would not allow herself to be touched.”
One counselor believed her emotional distress was consistent with the fear she described. The counselor concluded that her trauma “certainly aligns with her fear of seeing her mother and sister after being coerced to lie or be killed.”
The case also highlights the importance of listening to children who report feeling unsafe around a parent. In this investigation, the girl’s account prompted authorities to examine not only the alleged threats but also the statements she had made about her father.
Rinkler, however, denied the accusations when questioned by investigators. According to the affidavit, she insisted that she had not coached her daughter to make false allegations or threatened her. She also denied possessing the folder allegedly used during the rehearsals.
The 40-year-old was booked into the Lawrence County Jail on Wednesday and reportedly remains held without bond. Her next court appearance is scheduled for October 19, 2026.
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