The father of Stephanie’s 8 day old baby took the baby from her on June 8, 2004. There was a history of domestic abuse by the father against Stephanie. Stephanie tried to find the father and her baby by calling friends, relatives, etc. She learned that the father and baby were in Farmington, MN. She called the St. Paul Police who told her that she had to call the Farmington Police because that is where the baby was. Farmington Police told her they could do nothing without a court order. Stephanie then learned that the father took the baby to Aitkin County, Minnesota for the weekend.

          Stephanie went to the Ramsey County Courthouse for assistance and was given PACRT’s toll free number. Stephanie called us and we responded immediately. Ed Wunsch and Robin Dietz-Mayfield met with Stephanie and developed a plan to recover her baby. Robin obtained an ex parte emergency order from Ramsey County to return the child to her. The order specifically stated, “Ramsey County Sheriff, Dakota County Sheriff, Aitkin County Sheriff, or any other law enforcement official shall serve Respondent with the ex-parte order and other pleadings and shall immediately remove the minor child from Respondent and return the child to Petitioner, using whatever force necessary.”

          With this order, Ed and Stephanie went to Aitkin County on Saturday to recover the baby. Ed contacted the Aitkin County Sheriff for assistance with the ex parte order. He was told that by the deputy that he questioned the validity of the Ramsey County Order, and questioned whether there was really a judge by that name. After a lengthy discussion, the Aitkin County deputy contacted Ramsey County and determined that there was a judge by that name. He then contacted the Aitkin County Attorney for confirmation that he could execute the order.

          The Aitkin County Sheriff eventually served the court order and recovered the baby. Ed and Stephanie were waiting at the Sheriff’s Department, where Stephanie was reunited with her baby.

          Stephanie is now reunited with her son and is doing well. The child was recovered within 48 hours of the initial contact with our program.