Mom Still Has Custody After Faking Own Kidnapping

[Brent]

Mom Still Has Custody After Faking Own Kidnapping  

 Drew Mikkelsen, KOIN 6 News  

 HOOD RIVER, Ore. -- She admitted to police that she faked her own abduction. Now Darcie Meier faces charges of drug possession and endangering her own children.

Her ex-husband can't believe the Meier still gets custody of their two children, and he's worried the kids won't be safe in her care.

[img src=http://www.koin.com/webnews/2004/images/meier_0127.jpg]

In January, Meier (pictured) was supposed to meet her ex-husband at the Wilsonville rest stop to pick up her kids. But she never showed up. By the next morning, police considered her missing and her ex-husband was worried.

"I was thinking the worst scenario because nowadays, you see it all the time," Jon Meier said.

But police say Meier faked the kidnapping. It's still not clear why, but she was eventually indicted on drug possession and child endangerment charges. The scheme upset her ex-husband, and he says it hurt their kids.

"When they found out it was a hoax, my daughter said, 'Why would mommy leave me? Why would she lie to me?" Jon Meier said.

Jon and Darcie had joint custody of the children, but they lived with their mother. After the alleged kidnapping, Jon Meier filed for full-custody. But this week, a judge ruled that the kids should continue living with their mother.

"You can't tell anybody about this case and tell them the outcome and think this is a right decision," Jon Meier said. He is appealing the judge's decision. If another judge rules in favor of the mother, he says the system won't be protecting his children.

"I'm insecure now about their future because I don't know what she'll do."

We contacted Darcie Meier for her opinion on the custody situation, but she declined to comment.

She is expected to plead guilty to endangering a minor and drug possession.

 
http://www.koin.com/webnews/20042/20040422_meier.shtml