Lock Haven woman charged with kidnapping waives initial hearing
LOCK HAVEN, PA – Gwen Ardner, 38, of W. Main St. Lock Haven, this week waived her preliminary hearing.
Ardner is charged with four counts of kidnapping, after state police spent several days searching for a 12-year-old girl who left her home in the middle of the night on May 14. The girl was unable to be located for several days until she was eventually located at Ardner’s home approximately 60 hours after her disappearance.
According to a release from the office of Clinton County District Attorney David Strouse, authorities allege that Ardner has no relation to the 12-year-old girl and had no authority to take custody of the child. In the charges, state police outline that Ardner had picked up the child shortly after midnight, and then hid the child within her home. On three separate occasions, police visited Ardner’s home on the suspicion that she was involved in the girl’s disappearance. Each time, Ardner denied any knowledge of her whereabouts. Police allege that eventually they were able to obtain surveillance video from a nearby residence that showed Ardner taking the child and hiding her each time law enforcement came to her home searching for the girl.
In the criminal complaint, police indicate that Ardner eventually admitted to hiding the girl from police, but claimed she was trying to protect the girl. On Tuesday of this week, before waiving her preliminary hearing, Ardner requested that her $125,000 monetary bail be modified by District Judge Frank Mills citing her inability to pay the amount. In support of her request, Ardner testified briefly that she had acquired employment as a night-time janitor at Central Mountain Middle School earlier this year, and that she had an 18-, 13- and 9-year-old child at home to support. District Attorney Strouse argued in opposition to Ardner’s request. He said, “This woman is accused of essentially stealing someone’s child, and then lying about it for several days while law enforcement conducted a manhunt for the little girl.” He said it was even more concerning that apparently Ardner was employed at the victim’s school, saying “She shouldn’t be around children, ever, ever again.” Strouse implored to Mills that $125,000 bail was nowhere near enough to ensure the safety of a child, saying, “half a million, at least, is the lowest amount of bail the Commonwealth believes would be appropriate for someone like the Defendant.”
Mills ultimately denied Ardner’s bail modification request. She is scheduled for formal arraignment on July 25.
Sourced via CRIMEWATCH®: https://clinton.crimewatchpa.com/da/133000/post/ardner-waives-prelim-kidnapping-charges-bail-request-denied
