ZACHARY LEE - 12 yo - Sunderland, VT

Missing Sunderland boy found safe after Vermont issues Amber Alert

Zachary Lee, 12, found 'alive and well' in New Hampshire, police say

Jan. 28, 2014
Free Press Staff Writer


Patricia Kane / Vermont State Police

The Vermont State Police said they found 12-year-old Zachary Lee, who was dropped off near his home but never made it inside Monday afternoon, safe Monday night in New Hampshire with his mother, whom the authorities suspected of abducting him.

News of the boy's safe recovery was tweeted by the state police three hours after law enforcement issued the alert at about 8:30 p.m.

The boy was "located alive and well in Lyme, NH with mother," according to the Vermont State Police's official Twitter account.

At about 10:30 p.m., police received information that Zachary was with his mother, Patricia Kane, 49, and his sister, Martha Lee, 17, at a restaurant in Hanover, N.H., Vermont State Police Lt. Tim Oliver said in a statement just after 12:05 a.m. Tuesday.

An hour later, New Hampshire police told their counterparts in Vermont that the trio had been found at a Lyme hotel.

"Patricia Kane will be held for questioning in association for the disappearance of her son," Oliver said. "Charges may be forthcoming stemming from the investigation being conducted by the Vermont State Police and in conjunction with the Bennington (VT) County State’s Attorney’s Office."

Zachary was dropped off near his home but never made it inside Monday afternoon, the state police said.

The boy was left at the foot of his driveway at his foster home at 2327 North Road in Sunderland at about 3:30 p.m. by bus driver Dale Wood, police said. State police in Bennington County were called at 4:46 p.m., and the alert was issued by 8:35 p.m.

Zachary recently was repatriated from France, state police said. Authorities said they were concerned his biological mother, Patricia Kane, 49, might disappear with Zachary. This is based on a documented history of such attempts while the child was in the custody of French authorities, police said.

Zachary was last seen wearing a black puffy coat with white stripes, jeans, a light-colored sweater and blue and black sneakers.

The police initially said it was unknown where Kane might be headed, presumably with her son.

http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20140127/NEWS07/301270034/Amber-Alert-issued-missing-Sunderland-boy?odyssey=mod|breaking|text|FRONTPAGE&nclick_check=1

Woman who triggered Amber Alert sentenced

Keith Whitcomb Jr. Bennington Banner

Posted:   10/03/2014 10:11:54 AM EDT

BENNINGTON - A woman who triggered an Amber Alert in January by taking her son to New Hampshire after he was dropped off from school at his foster family's house was sentenced Thursday to serve at least a few more months in prison.

Patricia Kane, 50, pleaded not guilty in July to one count of custodial interference. At her sentencing hearing, Judge David Howard ordered her to serve a year in jail with credit for the seven months she has served. Upon her release, she will be under a two to five year suspended sentence and not allowed within 500 feet of her son or his school. She is also not allowed to contact him without permission from the Department for Children and Families. Kane must also abide by Family Court orders. She also pleaded guilty to three counts of violating release conditions.

Kane was free on bail for a short time after her initial arraignment. Kane was accused of not providing breath samples for alcohol testing when asked by police. The state dropped three other release condition violations as well as a count of unlawful restraint.

According to State Police, on Jan. 27 the foster parents of Kane's son, who lived in Sunderland, said Kane had picked the boy up after he was dropped off by the school bus. An Amber Alert - the second in Vermont's history - was issued. A few hours later, Kane was sighted with her son and daughter, ages 12 and 17 at the time, at a restaurant in New Hampshire.


Authorities in that state tracked them to a hotel where Kane was arrested and the boy returned to state custody. No one was injured, but Kane was reportedly intoxicated at the time of her arrest.

Not long after the incident, Kane's daughter told the Banner that the family had been living in France for many years. Kane lost custody of the boy after his father died and came to America believing certain rules and procedures would cause custody of him to revert to her. There was some issue with the boy boarding an airplane, which upset Kane, and according to the daughter caused authorities to think she was unstable.

The boy came into Vermont custody when he arrived in the United States and Kane found the rules governing her contact with him onerous. The daughter said Kane believed that by taking him to New Hampshire he would be under that state's custody and easier to connect with.

Howard ordered the courtroom closed for part of Thursday's hearing because the evidence being presented was confidential. When it reopened, Deputy State's Attorney Christina Rainville argued that Kane be sentenced to serve six years in prison saying she had thus far disregarded court and DCF orders and there was no way to ensure the boy's safety until he was 18.

Kane's attorney, Christopher Montgomery, said his client have never abused her son in any way and it is clear she had no intention of harming him when she took him. He said she is sorry, and intends to work within the system to restore her relationship with her son.

When it came to be Kane's time to speak, she had to be reminded on several occasions to stick to the topic at hand, that being her guilty plea and what sentence she should receive. Kane said she was guilty of being an overprotective mother and now wants to work within the system in order to help her children, whom she loves a great deal. She said the death of her husband left her distraught and dealing with French and American authorities regarding child custody has been difficult.


http://www.manchesterjournal.com/ci_26653828/woman-who-triggered-amber-alert-sentenced