A Van Buren woman arrested last week in Illinois in the kidnapping of her noncustodial 3-year-old daughter has waived extradition to Arkansas, according to the Van Buren Police Department.
An email Tuesday from police Lt. Stephen Staggs said Chelsea Munholland, 24, and Herbert Allen Thomas, 31, would be transferred to Van Buren from the jail in White County, Ill., in the next week. They entered the waiver Monday before a judge in Carmi, Ill., where they were jailed after their arrest Friday.
Van Buren police said someone broke into the Van Buren home of Gloria Perry, Munholland's grandmother, sometime Thursday night or Friday morning and took Layla Rae Munholland from the bed where she was sleeping with Perry. Perry, who has custody of Layla, awoke at 5 a.m. to find Layla gone.
Staggs said Friday evidence led police to believe Chelsea Munholland took the child. He said last week she was believed to be with Thomas and traveling in a gray 2006 Toyota Corolla that had been stolen from Munholland's mother.
Law enforcement agencies from communities surrounding Van Buren were alerted, and the Arkansas State Police and FBI were called in. The state police put out an Amber Alert for Layla.
The Illinois State Police conducted a traffic stop Friday on the stolen Toyota near Grayville in White County, assisted by Grayville police and the White County sheriff's office. Layla was recovered safe and Munholland and Thomas were arrested. Layla was returned to Van Buren over the weekend, Staggs said.
Warrants were issued Friday against Munholland to revoke a $10,000 bond based on accusations of kidnapping and residential burglary.
Crawford County Circuit Court records showed she was sentenced to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to felony theft, drug paraphernalia possession and failure-to-appear charges and to misdemeanor theft and drug possession charges.
Circuit Court records also showed she is scheduled to go on trial Aug. 19 on felony charges of possession of drug paraphernalia to manufacture methamphetamine or cocaine, possession of methamphetamine or cocaine and possession of a forgery device, as well as five counts of misdemeanor fraudulent use of a credit or debit card.
There were no court records Tuesday of charges filed against Thomas in the kidnapping.
State Desk on 07/20/2016