COLERAIN TWP., Ohio — A woman accused of leaving her son alone on the side of a dark road in Colerain last week will face a new charge when she is extradited back to Ohio from Georgetown, Ky., where she was arrested.
Heather Adkins, 32, originally faced one count of child endangerment. On Tuesday, court documents show an additional charge of kidnapping has been added. Adkins' actions when she left her son alone on a road in Colerain "created a substantial risk of serious physical harm," the court documents read.
Adkins will be transported back to Ohio to face charges in Hamilton County. She's currently at the Scott County Jail in Kentucky and faced an extradition hearing Tuesday. Another extradition hearing is set for March 8 and Adkins won't return to Ohio for trial before then.
Adkins left her 5-year-old son, who is nonverbal and lives with autism, around 75 miles from their Shelbyville, Ind. home on Feb. 17, police said. Adkins has two other sons, whom she left with a friend in Tennessee.
"The victim then wandered the area, which was in close proximity to a flooded creek, for approximately one hour before he was discovered on an adjacent road by passing motorists," read court documents about the additional charge of kidnapping.
Adkins was arrested at a gas station on Feb. 19 on an outstanding warrant for an unpaid ticket. The Georgetown Police Department said they weren't aware initially that Colerain police had filed a warrant for Adkins on child endangerment.
According to court documents, Adkins abandoned her son on Copper Creek Lane, an "unfamiliar, dark, dead-end street." Colerain Police said passing drivers found the boy Thursday night near the intersection of Sheed Road and Gaines Road, a block from where court documents said the boy was abandoned.
The stretch of road along Sheed between Copper Creek and Gaines does not have a sidewalk.
He was found wearing a jacket and sweats. Police issued a request to the public on Friday to help find the boy's family.
