Mother accused of abandoning autistic child appears in court
GEORGETOWN, Ky. (WKYT) - A mother accused of abandoning her autistic son in Ohio was in Scott County court on Tuesday.
Heather Adkins is charged with child endangerment. We thought Tuesday’s appearance would be Heather Adkins’ extradition hearing but it turned out to be a standard arraignment.
The 32-year-old is facing kidnapping and child endangerment charges. The felony kidnapping charge is an important factor in the extradition process. Adkins was only charged with a misdemeanor endangering children charge until Tuesday.
Court documents show she abandoned her 5-year-old autistic son in Colerain Township, Ohio, last week. Martin, who turned six on Sunday, was found by passing motorists who called 911.
During a jail interview, Adkins told WKYT she left Martin with a friend. She then changed her story.
Georgetown police arrested Adkins over the weekend at a Georgetown gas station for an unpaid fine from 2011. Officers were responding to reports of an unknown woman banging on car windows.
She’s being held in the Scott County Detention Center and appeared by video in Scott County district court Tuesday morning. The judge appointed Adkins a public defender and a not guilty plea was entered on her behalf.
The judge also decided to keep Adkins’s bond at $10,000. Adkins is due back in court on March 8.
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