KANSAS CITY —A man faces charges for allegedly kidnapping his child this week.
Justin A. Smith, 37, Lee's Summit is charged with Parental Kidnapping and one count of 1st Degree Harassment, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson.
On August 9, Smith removed his child from the residence he shares with the child’s mother, according to court records. Smith is the non-custodial biological parent. He began texting the child’s mother that he was taking the child to Texas and was going to kill himself. The child’s mother made multiple requests to the defendant to return the child.
On August 10, the Missouri State Highway Patrol issued an Amber Alert to locate the child. Later that day, MSHP and Blue Springs Police Department located Smith and the child in a vehicle traveling on Interstate 70 near Blue Springs, Missouri and conducted a traffic stop. Smith was taken into custody without incident, and the child was found safe with no injuries.
He remains jailed on a $20,000, according to online jail records.