West Allis woman charged after disappearing with granddaughter
A 43-year-old West Allis woman faces charges after she disappeared with her granddaughter, prompting a police search.
Kelly Smith was charged Friday with interfering with custody and second-offense possession of marijuana, both felonies, as well as misdemeanor bail jumping.
Smith is the girl’s biological grandmother but later legally adopted her, police said.
According to the criminal complaint:
The 4-year-old girl’s adopted father, who has sole legal custody, reported the girl missing on Nov. 22. He told police his daughter had been with Smith for a supervised visit on Nov. 21 and he had not seen her since.
The man said he tried to report it to West Allis police, where he waited for several hours before he was told to go to Oak Creek, where he lives.
Oak Creek officers went to several locations and learned Smith and the girl may be at a local hotel. Police found both Saturday atDolly’s Villa Vista Hotel, 8060 S. 27th St. in Oak Creek. Officers also located suspected marijuana in the hotel room.
Police say they learned the person who was supposed to be supervising Smith’s visit with the girl had not been doing that task “as she was supposed to” and that Smith had planned on taking the girl.
Smith has two pending drunken-driving cases and her adopted daughter was a passenger in the vehicle both times, police said.