EPHRATA — A woman who is accused of kidnapping a 6-year-old girl was apprehended last week in California.

Shirley Jackson, 57, of Waterville, was apprehended by U.S. marshals in California and transported back to Washington. She was charged in Grant County Superior Court with first-degree kidnapping in connection with the disappearance of 6-year-old Angel Jackson. She is set to be arraigned in court sometime today. Angel Jackson was found safe and has since been reunited with her adoptive family.

On June 10 a woman contacted MACC Dispatch in reference to a possible child abduction involving Shirley and Angel. The woman told a deputy with the Grant County Sheriff’s Office she had obtained custody of Angel in Grant County court on May 13. She said she went to Waterville in Douglas County, in an attempt to get the girl from her caregiver, Jackson, according to court records.

The reporting party explained Angel had been in the care of Shirley Jackson since her birth. She claimed Jackson found out about the court order granting her custody of Angel and fled the area with the girl. The woman stated she hadn't heard from either of them since early May and that Angel’s birth mother attempted to file a report with the Yakima Police Department, but the YPD wouldn’t take the report because the woman who initially contacted police was listed as the girl’s legal guardian.

She then reportedly attempted to file a report with the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, but was told she needed to contact the Moses Lake Police Department, as she lived in Moses Lake. The MLPD told her they couldn’t do a report because Angel was taken from Waterville.

The GCSO later took over the case and Angel’s biological mother told the investigating deputy that Jackson had no legal right to her daughter and never did. She claimed she was in a “bad situation” and allowed Jackson to take care of Angel since her birth. She advised that Jackson came up with the idea to list Angel’s name as “Jackson” on her birth certificate, so Shirley Jackson could easily acquire assistance from the state.

The investigating deputy discovered Angel attended school in the Waterville area all the way up until the day before the court order that gave the reporting party custodial rights to the girl was granted. The GCSO made the case involving Shirley and Angel public in mid-October and drew criticism for not making the public aware of Angel’s disappearance sooner.

“It wasn’t until June that the Grant County Sheriff’s Office was notified and became involved. The case was handled appropriately as a missing person case,” explained the sheriff’s office on Oct. 19. “Early in our investigation, there was no obvious or assumed risk to Angel’s safety. It wasn’t until later in the investigation that it was learned that Shirley Jackson’s history may constitute a risk to Angel.”

The sheriff's office discovered Jackson has a history of three previous complaints investigated by Child Protective Services, which resulted in confirmed findings. None of the complaints involved Angel.

Richard Byrd can be reached via email at city@columbiabasinherald.com.