Woman arrested in Michigan after fleeing airport with missing child

Keshia Williams-Alattar fled an airport after a child was returned to her ex-husband, leading to a four-month search that ended with her arrest in Bloomfield Township. The 39-year-old woman was charged with custodial interference on October 28. The charge carries a maximum penalty of one year in jail.

The incident began when Williams-Alattar picked up the minor child from the ex-husband’s home on March 23. The father reported the child missing on June 2 after failing to get the child back during multiple attempts to contact Williams-Alattar. He told police he believed she had taken the child to the Republic of Benin in western Africa.

The Bloomfield Township Police Department and the Department of State investigated the case jointly. On June 3, the Department of State coordinated with Beninese authorities to place the woman and the child on a flight back to the United States. The father reunited with the child at Detroit Metropolitan Airport on June 4. Williams-Alattar left the airport and disappeared to an unknown location.

The Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office authorized a warrant for her arrest on October 15. Detectives from the Bloomfield Township Police Department located Williams-Alattar on October 28 and placed her under arrest. She was arraigned the next day in 48th District Court, where a magistrate set a bond of $100,000 cash or surety.

Karie Holder Boylan represents Williams-Alattar. She did not respond to a request for comment before the article went to press.