Trial date set for woman accused of kidnapping daughter from school
BERKELEY COUNTY, SC (WCSC) - A trial date has been set for the woman accused of kidnapping her daughter from Westview Primary School in Goose Creek earlier this month.
Court officials say a June 24 jury trial has been scheduled for 26-year-old Neely Blanchard, from Florida.
Goose Creek police say Blanchard and another Florida woman pulled Blanchard's daughter out of her Head Start class before school was in session on May 2. Highway patrol troopers caught the duo as they were heading west on Interstate 26 a short time later.
According to police, the other woman was found driving the car with Blanchard as a passenger. Investigators say Blanchard was also found in illegal possession of prescription pills.
The child was found safe and returned to her paternal grandmother, the legal guardian.
Blanchard was also charged with disturbing school, custodial interference, conspiracy to commit custodial interference, and unlawful possession of schedule IV narcotics.
The second woman faced the same charges in addition to first-degree assault and battery after police say she caused minor injuries to a school employee who was trying to stop the car as it pulled out of the parking lot. Charges against the second woman were later dismissed, according to court records.
Copyright 2013 WCSC. All rights reserved.
