Federal Grand Jury Indicts Killeen Babysitter for Kidnapping

Federal Grand Jury Indicts Killeen Babysitter for Kidnapping

Jul 11, 2010



BELL COUNTY - A Killeen woman was indicted Tuesday afternoon for kidnapping a two-and-a-half year-old Bell County girl and taking her to Georgia.



34-year-old Courtney Elaine Hernandez was asked to look after little Addison Fowler while the girl's mother was moving to Killeen from San Antonio in late June, according to Temple Police and the FBI.

The indictment alleges Hernandez took the child to Georgia July 5th. Police said the babysitter had promised to return the girl to her mother three days earlier.

Fowler's mother attempted to get her daughter back on her own, but FBI spokesperson Erik Vasys in San Antonio says Hernandez became increasingly uncooperative, and after more suspicious behavior, the mother called Temple Police at 4:30 p.m. Saturday.

Temple PD notified the FBI at 5 a.m. Sunday. A state warrant for kidnapping was issued by Bell County, and the FBI put out an alert.

It included a description of the babysitter's Hyundai Santa Fe SUV with California license plates, and hours later a Georgia State Trooper spotted that vehicle near Augusta, Georgia.

The abducted child was found safe, and Hernandez was arrested and jailed in Columbia County, GA.

FBI agents call this type of case a "friendly abduction," where the missing child was kidnapped by a person known to the family, in this case her babysitter.

Hernandez allegedly was telling people the child belonged to her.

If she's convicted, she faces a mandatory minimum 20 years to life in federal prison and up to a $250,000 fine.

Addison Fowler will be returned to her mother as soon as possible.

http://www.kxxv.com/Global/story.asp?S=12787923

http://www.woai.com/news/local/story/Police-Texas-toddler-abducted-by-babysitter-found/GWH2M8mdiEy3V-ECfU9crQ.cspx

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