OTTUMWA — An Ottumwa man now faces multiple felony charges after an 11-year-old girl was reported missing and later found.

On Tuesday, May 30, 2023, at approximately 4:35 a.m., the Ottumwa Police Department received information regarding a missing 11-year-old juvenile female.  At approximately 9:20 a.m., the missing juvenile arrived at a residence in Ottumwa and the juvenile was located.     

Police then began investigating the circumstances surrounding what lead to the juvenile to be missing.  As a result, the child’s father, Peter Frederic Serrer, age 48, of 916 East 4th, Ottumwa, was arrested and charged with the following:  

• Child Endangerment Causing Bodily Injury, a Class “D” Felony
• Neglect or Abandonment of a Dependent Person, a Class “C” Felony  

Serrer is currently being held in the Wapello County Jail.  The Iowa Department of Human Services assisted with the investigation. 

A criminal charge is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.