On December 29th, 2014, at approximately 11:44 a.m., Dubuque Police were notified that the Baby Jesus statue had been stolen from the Nativity scene at the Church of the Resurrection (4300 Asbury Road).
Resurrection’s surveillance cameras showed that on Friday, December 26th, 2014 at approximately 9:10 p.m., an unidentified female exited a vehicle, stole the statue, and returned to the vehicle. The vehicle then fled the scene traveling westbound on Asbury Road.
City of Dubuque traffic camera footage was reviewed and video of the vehicle involved was located. Emergency Communications Center personnel identified a possible license plate of the vehicle and police located it in the driveway of 827 Lincoln Avenue. The vehicle was registered to Sarah Jean Maus, 05/15/79, of that address. She was interviewed and admitted participating in the theft by driving the above mentioned vehicle to and from the scene. A second occupant of the vehicle was identified as Taiana Marie Butler, 12/12/95, of 2305 Mineral Street in Dubuque. Butler was identified as the female who exited the vehicle and took the statue. Butler was also interviewed by police and admitted to the theft.
Due to extensive coverage on social/news media, Maus and Butler said they decided the statue should be returned. They returned it to the church property during the overnight hours of December 30th & 31st. Both were charged with Theft 4th Degree (serious misdemeanor). Upon learning arrest warrants had been issued, Butler and Maus turned themselves in to police (on January 15th & 17th respectively).
As with any criminal case, the charges filed are allegations and any suspects are presumed innocent until convicted in a court of law.