The mother accused of kidnapping her son Monday during a state-agency supervised visit at Lenox Square mall has been denied bond.
Sahar Alwadi, 45, was arrested at DeKalb County hotel around 9:30 p.m. Monday, about 10 hours after allegedly absconding from the Buckhead shopping center with her 14-month-old son. The child was taken back into Division of Family and Children Services custody, and Alwadi was charged with kidnapping.
A judge denied her bond during a Tuesday morning appearance in magistrate court, meaning she’ll likely remain in the Fulton County jail at least until her preliminary hearing on Jan. 5.
Most details surrounding the case remained unclear Tuesday, even after a brief news conference with Atlanta Police Department officials. Maj. Paul Guerrucci declined to answer questions about Alwadi’s history, including why she lost custody of her child in the first place.
Asked what led authorities to the hotel where Alwadi was detained, he attributed it to “excellent police work.” The FBI and GBI assisted in the effort, as well as the Sandy Springs and Alpharetta police departments, he said.
It was also unclear how Alwadi wound up at the hotel. Police previously said she was not believed to have a car.
“We don’t know her exact route,” Guerrucci said.
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