U.S. Marshals return accused parental kidnapper to northern Idaho
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The following is a news release from the U.S. Marshals Service.
COEUR D’ALENE — Late Thursday evening, a team of deputy U.S. Marshals arrived at the Spokane International Airport with Laurel E. Hannah, 40, in custody. They traveled over 4,000 miles to Costa Rica to pick her up from local authorities.
Hannah is the non-custodial mother who took her one-year-old child out of the country earlier this summer in August. On August 14, 2023, the Bonner County
District Court in Sandpoint issued an arrest warrant for Hannah for Custodial Interference. The Bonner County Prosecutor’s Office later charged Hannah with Kidnapping in the Second Degree.
Through Sandpoint Police Department’s diligent investigation, they quickly learned Hannah had likely fled the country. Due to fears the child was in danger, the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) Greater Idaho Fugitive Task Force in Coeur d’Alene joined the investigation to locate Hannah while the Sand Point
Police Department continued to investigate the crime of custodial interference and kidnapping. The USMS task force worked non-stop to exhaust all investigative leads to locate Hanna and the missing child.
On August 23, 2023, Costa Rican authorities apprehended Hannah at the request of the United States and safely recovered the child. The USMS then worked with the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs to secure the extradition of Hannah from Costa Rica back to Idaho.
This case highlights the critical collaboration between local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies working together successfully towards a common goal. All the law enforcement partners are relieved the child in this case was safely returned to North Idaho. T
he United States Marshal for the District of Idaho, Brent Bunn, is appreciative of all the investigators from the Sandpoint Police Department, Bonner County Sheriff’s Office, Bonner County Prosecutor’s Office, U.S. State Department, FBI, and USMS Office of International Operations.
Sandpoint Police Chief Corey Coon echoed the sentiment of U.S. Marshal Bunn.
“Thank you to all the agencies coming together on this case, especially since there was a child involved,” Chief Coon stated.
“We are pleased we were able to assist the Sandpoint Police Department and the Bonner County Sheriff’s Office in the return of a suspect from Costa Rica. We appreciate the great working relationship we have with the law enforcement community in North Idaho,” Bunn added.