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Stark County Woman Pleads Guilty to False Child Abduction
POSTED 2:52pm 1/11/13 A Stark County woman has pleaded guilty to leaving her baby in a ditch then lying to police about it.

19-year old Kendra Meaker pleaded guilty in Stark County Circuit Court Friday morning to a Class-Four felony charge of Obstructing Justice, and to a misdemeanor charge of Endangering the Health of a Child.

Prosecutors say Meaker, frustrated from then-three-week-old Mia Gracie Thompson's crying the night before, took the child and put her in a ditch in rural Toulon last September 27th, then told Stark County and State Police Investigators the child had been abducted, resulting in a daylong search following the issuance of an Amber Alert, until the baby was found safely

Following Friday's hearing, Meaker's father Ken told WGIL he was surprised Meaker pleaded guilty.

"It is what it is," Ken Meaker said. "Kendra is making her own decisions. We support her 100 percent."

Meaker will be sentenced March 8th.

At a separate hearing, Circuit Judge Scott Shore okayed little Mia and her infant sister to remain in the custody of Ken and Rita Meaker, and also okayed genetic testing after the father of the children claimed he wasn't sure he was the father, despite saying he was.


(Kendra Meaker. File photo from Stark County Sheriffs Department.)
01 11 13 by Newsroom
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