Patricia Kane ’86 was arrested by Hanover PoliceMondaynight in Lyme after authorities issued an Amber Alert, alleging she abducted her twelve-year-old biological son from his foster family in Sunderland, Vt. Kane is being held in Grafton County Jail while she awaits extradition to face two felony charges in Vermont, said Vermont State Police public information officer Stephanie Dasaro.
Kane appeared at a brief arraignment in Lebanon District CourtTuesdayafternoon, when she waived her right to challenge extradition to Vermont, acting Hanover Police chief Frank Moran said.
Prior to the hearing, Kane was brought to Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center for a physical and mental health evaluation, as she had indicated that she wanted medical attention, Moran said. This procedure is standard practice in cases involving an individual who is unknown to the police and may be in need of care, Moran said. He said he did not know if Kane had received treatment.
A Grafton County Jail corrections official confirmed that Kane is still being held there on a fugitive from justice charge, and added that extradition could take up to a week.
Kane faces charges of second-degree unlawful restraint and custodial interference – each carrying a maximum prison sentence of five years. The Bennington County attorney may choose to add additional charges, Dasaro said.
Zachary Lee was reported missing from his foster home on North Road at4:46 p.m. on Monday, and an Amber Alert was activated at 8:35 p.m.that night. Authorities believe Kane abducted Zachary on his way home from school, after being dropped off by the bus, according to a Vermont Police Department press release.
At about10:30 p.m., police received a response to the Amber Alert from a Canoe Club customer, who reported that Zachary Lee had been seen in the company of Kane and another child, Martha Lee, WCAX reported.
Zachary and Martha Lee have both been taken into the protective custody of Vermont social workers, Moran said.
At the time of the arrest, Kane was with her son Zachary Lee and daughter Martha Lee, age 17. Kane and Martha Lee had been living in Manchester, Vt., for several months before the arrest, though both children were raised in France.
Zachary Lee was recently repatriated from France, sparking fears that Kane would try to unlawfully remove him from his foster family as she had attempted to do overseas, Vermont State Police said in a statementMonday. Zachary had been living with a French foster family for little over a year. Authorities considered Kane to be highly unstable, the Valley News reported.
Moran said that while Hanover Police occasionally sees custody cases involving divorced couples, the abduction was unusual and has required the department to deploy many of its resources.
The investigation was carried out in coordination by state, local, county and federal agencies, a Vermont Police press release said.
Christina Rainville, chief deputy state's attorney for Bennington County, did not respond to a request for comment.
This article will be updated as more information becomes available.
