Woman waives hearing in child removal, escape

FOLCROFT >> A woman charged with the disappearance of a 10-year-old boy and attempted escape from police custody last month has waived her preliminary hearing, according to online court records.

Brooke Anne Metra, 30, is charged with interference in the custody of a child for the May 22 disappearance of Mason Brooks, as well as escape, flight to avoid apprehension, resisting arrest and attempted simple assault for attempting to leave the Folcroft Police Department after her arrest in the custody matter.

Additional charges of robbery and attempted robbery of a motor vehicle have been withdrawn.

Folcroft police reported May 23 that Brooks had been found after he went missing the day before and that three people had been detained. Only one, Metra, was found to have committed any criminal actions in allegedly abducting the boy from his home in the 2100 block of Delmar Drive, Folcroft Detective Cpl. Dan White said last month.

Police were called to the boy’s residence about 8 p.m. May 22 for a report of a missing juvenile, according to an affidavit of probable cause written by White.

Responding officers spoke with the child’s grandmother and legal guardian, who said Brooks had not been seen since about 5:30 p.m. that day. She said no one had been given permission to take him anywhere, according to the affidavit.

White and Delaware County Detective Thomas Scarpato determined during their investigation that the boy left with an unknown male and female.

All three were seen getting into a black Nissan Altima that the man and woman had arrived in, according to the affidavit, which then traveled west on Delmar Drive.

White and Scarpato developed Brooke and Steven Metra as the man and woman in the vehicle, which was tracked to the area of the 5400 block of Chancellor St. in Philadelphia, according to the affidavit.

The investigators found an address where they believed the man and woman were staying and went there with detectives from the District Attorney’s Office, Folcroft Police Department and Philadelphia Police Department.

At the home, officers found a boy who identified himself as Brooks, according to the affidavit.

Officers saw movement in the basement and found Metra hiding under blankets, and she was taken into custody, the affidavit says.

White said Brooke Metra is also a granddaughter of the boy’s guardian but had not been in contact with the family for more than a year. He said Metra’s own children had recently been removed from her custody, and this appeared to be a plot to reclaim a child.

The boy does not know Metra well, White said, but appeared to have gone with her willingly because he knows her as family.

After Metra was arraigned May 24, she was able to escape from her handcuffs while awaiting transportation to the county jail and fled the station, according to a second affidavit of probable cause also written by White.

White noticed Metra was no longer seated and handcuffed to a bar and notified other officers, the affidavit says. Deputy Chief Chris Eiserman searched the area outside the station and spotted Metra banging on the windows of a vehicle in front of the station, according to the affidavit.

Magisterial District Judge Thomas Lacey reduced bail in the custody case from 10% of $50,000 and 10% of $125,000 in the escape case to 10% of $10,000 for each case Wednesday. Court records indicate Metra posted bail of $1,000 for each Thursday.

She is scheduled for formal arraignment July 14 at the county courthouse in Media on both cases.