Thursday, January 23, 2025
21.0°F

Woman faces kidnapping charge

Brian Walker | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 13 years, 11 months AGO
by Brian Walker
| February 19, 2011 8:00 PM

RATHDRUM - A 35-year-old Coeur d'Alene woman who was issued a misdemeanor citation and trespass warnings in Rathdrum for child enticement on Wednesday was arrested for second-degree kidnapping late Thursday.

Emily Ward, who has lost custody of her three children, was arrested at her home by Coeur d'Alene police after the Kootenai County Prosecutor's Office reviewed the case and issued a warrant.

Rathdrum Police Chief Kevin Fuhr said the arrest stems from the same alleged incidents in Rathdrum on Tuesday that led to the citation and trespass warnings.

"The prosecutor's office reviewed the case and they believed it warranted a kidnapping charge," Fuhr said. "I'm glad they found that so we can get her off the streets. It helps secure a peace of mind to the people around here. We were all concerned that she'd come back to try to kidnap the children. This puts the schools, the foster parents and us at ease."

She was being held at the local jail on a $50,000 bond on Friday.

Ward allegedly drove children who know her kids around Rathdrum trying to locate them.

"Her response to everything was that she's just trying to get passage to her children and find out where they're at," Fuhr said.

Fuhr said it's unclear whether Ward's intent was to take her children.

"Nobody but her knows that," Fuhr said.

Ward was issued the citation and trespass warnings for the Lakeland Junior High and Betty Keifer Elementary schools in Rathdrum where the alleged incidents happened.

On Tuesday about 3:45 p.m. Ward allegedly contacted a 14-year-old Rathdrum boy near Highway 41 and California Street looking for Lakeland Junior High, according to police.

Ward asked the boy if he would show her where the school was. The boy agreed and got into the vehicle. Ward drove to the school, where she asked several students attending a basketball game if they knew her children.

Two 13 year-old Rathdrum girls told Ward that they knew her children and were asked by Ward to step outside to talk.

Once outside, the girls reported that Ward allegedly gave them several verbal commands to get into her vehicle so they could show Ward where her children were living and rode the bus. Despite the fact that the girls did not know the female, they did as they were told and got into the female's vehicle, police said.

Ward allegedly drove the girls around Rathdrum for about 40 minutes before dropping them off at Lakeland Junior High.

On Wednesday about 7:50 a.m. Ward was seen driving near Betty Keifer Elementary and was stopped by officers. She agreed to go to the police station for questioning. After the interview, Ward was cited and given the trespass warnings.

Ward has been booked into the Kootenai County jail four previous times - twice in 2008 for striking an unattended vehicle and twice in 2010 for controlled substance forgery/fraud.

MORE IMPORTED STORIES

Police upgrade mom's charge to kidnapping
Coeur d'Alene Press | Updated 13 years, 11 months ago
Woman charged with child enticement
Coeur d'Alene Press | Updated 13 years, 11 months ago
Sex offender arrested at game
Coeur d'Alene Press | Updated 10 years, 3 months ago

ARTICLES BY BRIAN WALKER

Two arrests made in heroin trafficking case
November 27, 2018 5:56 p.m.

Two arrests made in heroin trafficking case

POST FALLS — Two Shoshone County men were arrested in a heroin trafficking case during a traffic stop on Interstate 90 at Post Falls last week.

Ingraham charged with first-degree murder
January 15, 2016 2 a.m.

Ingraham charged with first-degree murder

The 20-year-old nephew of a Post Falls man found dead in Boundary County in September has been charged with first-degree murder of his uncle.

January 20, 2013 6 a.m.

Is arming teachers a good idea or over-reaction?

No movement in region to go that route to enhance school safety

While the idea of arming teachers, as a means to increase school safety, is catching on in some areas, there’s no such momentum in Kootenai County.