Police Make Arrest In Foiled Abduction

WATER VALLEY – A Water Valley woman has been charged with kidnapping after allegedly grabbing a four-year old girl in Baker Street Park and trying to leave with her.
Water Valley Police Chief Jason Mangrum reported Hannah Adams, 28, was arrested on April 19, two days after the incident. The chief said the child was playing in the park when a family member watching her from a nearby residence saw a woman grab the child around 5:45 p.m.
“This could have been extremely serious, thankfully the family member regained custody of the child before she got away from the park,” the chief told the Herald. He added that the incident remains under investigation, and it is too early to comment on a possible motive.
The chief beefed up patrols in the area during the investigation as they searched for the suspect.
“Eyewitnesses were able to provide a description. We were working it as a random crime until we were able to identify the suspect,” Mangrum explained. “Two days later they saw the suspect again and directed us to a residence where we made the arrest.”
Mangrum said the house the woman was staying in was several hundred yards away from the park.
Adams is currently in custody in the Yalobusha County Detention Center. A $25,000 bond was set during her initial appearance in city court last week.
Mangrum said the ordeal is a reminder for parents to monitor their children at all times.
“This family was watching the child play in the park from their nearby house. They were being diligent and still had a very scary experience,” he added.
Other activity reported by the chief includes:
• Made two felony arrests during a driver’s license checkpoint on Hwy. 7 on April 20. Mangrum said Demetric Cook, 27, of Water Valley was charged with felony fleeing for leaving the checkpoint after being instructed by officers to exit his vehicle.
“They smelled the odor of marijuana and asked the driver to pull over and step out,” Mangrum reported about the arrest. Instead the driver took off and officers pursued him. The pursuit ended when Cook turned went down County Road 214 and stayed straight on the old Mudline Road, entering the lake bottom.
“He had a small amount of marijuana that he threw out during the pursuit. If he had complied with the officers’ instructions at the checkpoint, he would only been ticketed,” Mangrum told the Herald.
Christian Wright, 21, of Calhoun City was arrested at the checkpoint for possession of methamphetamine. Mangrum said the driver and passengers consented to a search and the alleged narcotic was discovered in Wright’s possession.
Mangrum said that deputies with the Yalobusha County Sheriff’s Department assisted his officers at the checkpoint.
• Took a report of a burglary in a storage unit at South Main Mini Storage. Officers took the report on April 23, but the chief said the unit had not been checked in four months.
Items reported stolen included tools, tool boxes and a lawnmower.
“The case remains under investigation,” Mangrum added.