Mother Charged in Case of Missing Baby
By: Sophie Nielsen-Kolding WMBD/WYZZ TV
Updated: September 28, 2012
STARK COUNTY- The mother of Thursday's missing baby is now in jail under a $100,000 bond.
Nineteen-year-old Kendra Meaker was is in Stark County Court Friday, she was arrested Thursday night.
Meaker is charged with obstructing justice and endangering the life or health of a child. Police said Meaker drove to a remote area of Stark County, placed her baby in a grassy area next to the road, and left the three-week-old there without food, protection or adult supervision.
Three-week-old Mia Graci Thompson was reported missing around 8:00 Thursday morning from the back seat of her mother's vehicle and an amber alert was issued.
Volunteers found the baby Thursday night. Police say the baby's father is not a suspect at this time.
Endangering the life or health of a child is a misdemeanor unless the person has been charged with it before. Since this was Kendra Meaker's first offense, she could face up to 364 days in jail for that charge.
Jeff Hal is an Attorney in East Peoria and said that Meaker could face harsher charges as the trial progresses. He said right now her biggest worry is probably the obstruction of justice charge.
"If a parent obstructs justice or basically misrepresents, misleads law enforcement, states attorney's offices in the finding of children or their child, then that's a class four felony punishable by up to one to three years in DOC (Department of Corrections)," Hall said.
Nineteen-year-old Kendra Meaker was is in Stark County Court Friday, she was arrested Thursday night.
Meaker is charged with obstructing justice and endangering the life or health of a child. Police said Meaker drove to a remote area of Stark County, placed her baby in a grassy area next to the road, and left the three-week-old there without food, protection or adult supervision.
Three-week-old Mia Graci Thompson was reported missing around 8:00 Thursday morning from the back seat of her mother's vehicle and an amber alert was issued.
Volunteers found the baby Thursday night. Police say the baby's father is not a suspect at this time.
Endangering the life or health of a child is a misdemeanor unless the person has been charged with it before. Since this was Kendra Meaker's first offense, she could face up to 364 days in jail for that charge.
Jeff Hal is an Attorney in East Peoria and said that Meaker could face harsher charges as the trial progresses. He said right now her biggest worry is probably the obstruction of justice charge.
"If a parent obstructs justice or basically misrepresents, misleads law enforcement, states attorney's offices in the finding of children or their child, then that's a class four felony punishable by up to one to three years in DOC (Department of Corrections)," Hall said.
