The Bartow County mother whose 8-month-old was kidnapped Tuesday night will have to wait until Friday to get him back home, authorities said.
“DFCs has custody of the child,” Bartow County Sheriff Clark Millsap told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, referring to the state Human Service Department’s Division of Family and Child Services.
A court hearing is set for Friday morning to determine whether young William Kaidyn Stover will be returned to his mother, Kristen Howard, said Millsap.
“We’ve found no evidence to find a reason to charge Ms. Howard,” Millsap said.
Meanwhile, Samantha Barrett, the 22-year-old woman accused of abducting William and stealing Howard’s car, faced a Henry County judge for the first time Thursday to learn that she’ll have to post a $20,000 bond to be released from jail.
Barrett remains in the Henry County jail on charges, including felony child cruelty for endangering the baby, felony eluding police, reckless conduct and driving on a suspended license.
If and when she’s released, kidnapping and theft by taking an auto charges await her in Bartow County, where authorities say she took William and the car.
Barrett also will have to answer to Cobb County authorities where she was serving three years on probation following her arrest in December 2012 for possession of the painkiller hydrocodone.
According to court records, Barrett spent 31 days in the Cobb County Adult Detention Center in April and May for those charges and was to serve the remainder of the time on probation.
Barrett and Howard were friends.
Authorities said Barrett led police on a 20-plus mile chase, with speeds more than 90 mph and William in the back seat.
An Amber Alert was issued late Wednesday morning, and a caller alerted Clayton County police that he saw the car on southbound I-75 around noon.
“I think I’ve got the Amber Alert car … the gray Ford Taurus,” the caller told the Henry County 9-1-1 operator as he approached the Eagle’s Landing exit of I-75. “I’m laying back. I’m trying not to spook them.”
The Taurus was going just under 70 mph, the caller said, until Henry County police and a state trooper approached.
“They’re not pulling over,” the caller said of the Taurus.
Barrett had other arrests for marijuana and methamphetamine possession, Millsap said.
Millsap said Bartow authorities continue to investigate the kidnapping.
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