Court appearance for woman accused of killing a mom, kidnapping her baby

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Another court hearing today for a woman accused of killing a Montgomery County mother and kidnapping her newborn son.

The Montgomery Co. District Attorney voluntarily gave grand jury testimony about the case against Verna McClain to her lawyers Thursday. McClain is accused of shooting and killing Kala Golden Schuchardt, then abducting her 3-day-old baby boy in order to pass the baby off as her own.

"We're making a very clean record for anybody who reviews this record later on, exactly what we've done to not only comply with the minimum standards, but to actually to show this is a guideline for the way that other DA offices should behave in other similar cases," said Montgomery Co. District Attorney Brett Ligon.

The DA's office did not say if it will seek the death penalty in the case, But McClain's lawyers say they don't believe it's necessary.

"She does have three children she is taking care of. She has been forced to move from California to Texas. She's been a responsible mother in the past. She has a job. She works as a nurse. She definitely loves kids. It would be a real tragedy in a case like this," said defense attorney E. Tay Bond.

The DA's office has said it plans to decide on the death penalty issue within the next couple of weeks. It could be months before this case goes to trial, according to the DA's office.

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DA's office still deciding about seeking death penalty against woman accused of killing new mom, kidnapping her baby

Verna DeAnn McClain allegedly kidnapped Keegan Schuchardt because she wanted to present him as her own baby following a miscarriage

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- The Montgomery County District Attorney's office says it's still deciding if it will seek the death penalty against a woman accused of killing a new mother and kidnapping her newborn.

Verna McClain is accused of gunning down Kala Golden Schuchardt outside a pediatrician's office, then abducting her 3-day-old son back in April. Investigators believe McClain wanted to pass the baby off as her own.

The DA's office says it's going through all the evidence that's been gathered in this case and is almost ready to take it to the grand jury.

"At this point, we're convinced that she acted alone, that no other participants helped her out," said Assistant District Attorney Warren Diepraam.

The DA's office plans to decide on the death penalty issue in the next couple of weeks. They have 90 days to get the case to grand jury for consideration of an indictment.

(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)
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Deputies: Revenge against boy's dad was motive for woman in child's kidnapping

STAFFORD, TX (KTRK) -- The woman accused of kidnapping a young boy for several hours earlier this week was apparently angry at the boy's father. That's according to investigators who say the woman and the child's father had previously had an affair.

Deputies say they don't remember a case with this many unexpected twists and turns. They tell us the suspect was motivated to get back at the boy's father -- her former lover.

As Kismat Momin appeared in court Wednesday morning, we obtained court documents that expose new details in the kidnapping for which she is accused. Investigators allege the abduction of nine-year-old Amsal Dhuka was to seek revenge against the boy's father.

Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office Chief Craig Brady explained, "He had about a three-year sexual relationship with the suspect. That relationship had ended sometime in the past."

Detectives say Momin met Amsal Monday as he got off the bus from school at the front of the apartment complex near Sugar Land where both live. She allegedly told him his parents sent her to pick him up.

Investigators say she drove with him for hours, all the way into Galveston County, only stopping to get him food, and for them to sleep. Court documents indicate that Momin told the boy that "gang members with guns were chasing them."

"I don't know what she intended to accomplish by simply taking the child," Brady said. "There's no indication that she intended to harm him."

Momin allegedly left the boy finally at a Muslim worship center in Stafford at about 6am Tuesday, more than 14 hours after he disappeared. Investigators now say she told her husband on Sunday of her plan to kidnap the boy, and that she informed him she had actually done it at about 6pm Monday. Though dozens of investigators and volunteers searched fruitlessly, investigators say Momin's husband didn't tell them she had Amsal until early Tuesday morning.

Momin's attorney would not field questions, saying only this:

"We maintain her innocence at this time," attorney Asif Sayani said. "There's nothing more we can say because there's still a pending investigation. That's all the comments we can give."

Investigators say Amsal's father suspected early on that Momin might be involved. He actually called her, but she denied it.

Momin remains in custody at the Fort Bend County Jail. Bond has been set at $125,000.

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Ft Bend Co. Sheriff: Woman to be charged with kidnapping boy

SUGAR LAND, TX (KTRK) -- A nine-year-old boy is back home safe and his alleged abductor is in police custody. Late Tuesday afternoon the woman police believe is at the center of this case turned herself in. But investigators warn more people could be charged.

Amsal Dhuka was found unharmed at an Islamic center Tuesday morning, just a few miles where he vanished 15 hours before.

Kismat Momin, 34, has not said a single word to investigators. Investigators say she drove around with the nine-year-old in her car most of the night, stopping only to eat some fast food, do some bowling and sleep outside an abandoned house.

After an ordeal that lasted more than 14 hours, Amsal returned home for the first time. Family members said he was doing fine.

Momin is being questioned by detectives. Her family told us on Tuesday morning they didn't know where she was. Momin surrendered mid-afternoon with her attorney at the Fort Bend Sheriff's Office.

Investigators say Momin met Amsal as he got off the bus from school Monday afternoon at the front of the Landmark apartments off FM 1464 where both live and that she told her the boy his parents asked her to pick him up. Detectives say Momin then drove around all night, venturing as far as Galveston County before coming back to Sugar Land and abandoning Amsal at a Muslim worship center. Deputies found the nine-year-old there, alone, at 6:20am Tuesday.

Detectives say Momin's husband finally tipped them off. At issue now is if he or any of her family withheld information from authorities.

Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office Chief Craig Brady said, "There were a number of people that had knowledge of where the child actually was and who had possession of him, and they simply did not forward that information to us and basically had 60-plus policemen and 150 volunteers out there searching in the area when they knew full well the child was gone with a specific person."

Amsal's family is just glad to have him home.

"Family is fine. Amsal is doing great, happy with the family," family spokesperson Nizar Ali said. "We really appreciate all your support and we really want to thank all the volunteers for your help."

Investigators say they still don't know what the motive was. Momin faces a third degree felony charge of kidnapping. Her family could face charges as well.

Momin is in the Fort Bend County Jail on a $125,000 bond. If convicted, she faces two to 10 years in prison, and possibly a fine up to $10,000.

Stay with Eyewitness News and abc13.com for the latest details in this case.

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Man charged with kidnapping 2 brothers appears in court

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A man charged with kidnapping two young brothers over the weekend appeared in court this morning.

The 13 and 7-year-old boys vanished from their home on Timbercrest Village in north Harris County on Saturday.

Prosecutors allege a neighbor, Tony Guzman, kidnapped the brothers and drove them to a wooded area seven miles away. They were found safe the next day.

Guzman is also charged with possession of child pornography for inappropriate pictures of other children on his phone.

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Telephone chat line worker accused of kidnapping, raping woman

Tyler George, 21, is facing charges of aggravated kidnapping, aggravated sexual assault of an adult and theft.

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A man who worked for a telephone chat line is accused of kidnapping and raping a woman he met after she called into the service.

Tyler George is facing charges of aggravated kidnapping, aggravated sexual assault of an adult and theft. Court documents state the female victim had just broken up with her boyfriend and was depressed. She says she was watching TV, saw a commercial for a chat line and called the phone number. The victim says she spoke to a man who said his name was 'Terrance' -- later identified as George, police say -- and made arrangements to meet the man in person at an apartment complex in north Houston on December 2 of last year.

According to court documents, the victim said she felt comfortable around George and spoke with him for a few minutes. She says she then told George she was going home and would call him later, then started walking to her car. That's when she says George came up behind her and put a gun to her head. The victim told investigators George made her get into her car, then drove to the back of the complex where he made her park the car. George then allegedly sexually assaulted the woman.

The victim told police that George made her drive to another location where he sexually assaulted her again.

Then George allegedly made the victim lay down in the back seat and threatened to shoot her. He got behind the wheel of the victim's car, drove the woman to a grassy area behind a different apartment complex and allegedly raped the woman there.

Court documents state that George then pushed the victim down a hill and kicked her into a bayou.

On December 11, George was arrested for driving the victim's car. The woman later picked George out of a photo array.

George, 21, has a prior conviction for deadly conduct in 2009.

No bond has been set in this case.

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Mother accused of lying about daughter's kidnapping

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A mother who allegedly reported her 14-year-old was abducted while she was walking home from school is facing charges for lying and harming her daughter.

The Harris County Sheriff's Office says they've charged Andrea Sauls with filing a false report to police and injury to a child.

Detectives allege Sauls reported that her 14-year-old daughter was abducted while walking home from school along Spears at Walters in north Houston on her way home on Friday, the last day of the school year.

However, detectives say the teen had wanted to go with her father but Sauls wouldn't let her leave. That led to a fight, during which the girl suffered some injuries.

The girl ended up leaving with her father anyway, and that's when Sauls allegedly called the Harris County Sheriff's Office and reported that her daughter had been kidnapped. No other details were immediately available. (Copyright ©2011 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »

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