‘My daughter is traumatized,’ mother of two children pleads for kidnapping suspect to remain in jail

SPOKANE VALLEY, Wash. — Morgan Lee Nelson, 40, was arrested for trying to kidnap two kids aged seven and one from in front of their home on Monday. She went before a judge this afternoon, and her bail was set at $150,000.

The mother of the children said during Nelson’s court appearance that they live right next to her at the same apartment complex. “My daughter is traumatized and doesn’t want to go back to our apartment,” she said.

According to court documents, it happened around 9:30 a.m. on the 15600 block of E 4th Avenue. The child’s mother told investigators she was about to take her daughter to school when her 18-month-old ran back inside the apartment. The 7-year-old was out front at the time. When the mother came back out, she says Nelson had grabbed the young girl.

She yelled at her to stop, but says Nelson allegedly ran away with the kid in her arms.

The mother called police and once she caught up with them, said her daughter’s pants and underwear were pulled down. The young girl spun around and left her jacket and backpack to get away and run toward her mom. Investigators say Nelson then ran at the mother and grabbed the 18-month-old around the neck and torso. They struggled over the child, and all fell to the ground. A man nearby was handed the kid to hold until police arrived.

Spokane County Sheriff’s Deputies responded and arrested Nelson. They found the mother crying, and holding on to her two children.

Deputies say the victim and her children did not appear to be seriously injured, but they were being medically evaluated to make sure.

Deputies noted that Nelson’s demeanor was “erratic, going from speaking rapidly and appearing to hyperventilate to being very calm, quiet, and not speaking. Nelson made unsolicited statements, including that she took “too much heroin” and that she was not feeling well.”

Nelson faces two counts of second-degree kidnapping and two counts of forth degree assault. She began crying in court when the children’s mother started speaking. If Nelson does make bail, she’s not allowed to go back to her home because it is so close to the family.

The judge noted that may be changed in the future. Nelson is not allowed to contact the children in any way or come within 1000 feet of their school or daycare.