Girl was illegally taken to Mexico two years ago
By Dan Herbeck
NEWS STAFF REPORTER
A kidnapped Chautauqua County girl who has been missing since early 2007 has been found in Mexico. The child’s aunt and a man from Bradford, Pa., were arrested in Mexico on international kidnapping charges in connection with the abduction.
Authorities said Chautauqua County sheriff’s investigators worked with FBI agents and Mexican police on the case that led to the recovery late Wednesday night of the girl, identified as RJ Meyers, 8.
Police say RJ was illegally taken to Mexico by her aunt, Linda Wynn, 62, formerly of Bradford, and Wynn’s boyfriend, William Amacher, 39, more than two years ago. The U. S. attorney’s office said Wynn and Amacher are in custody in Texas and will soon be transported to Buffalo to face federal international kidnapping charges. “We’ve been told that RJ was reunited with her mother in Texas late Wednesday night, and it was a very good and happy reunion,” said prosecutor Michael DiGiacomo.
Police said Thursday that they learned RJ had been living in destitute conditions in the Mexican border town of Matamoros, where she had not been going to school and had been seen begging for food.
The alleged kidnapping involved a case in Chautauqua County Family Court, FBI agents said.
At least three years ago, RJ was taken away from her mother, Rhonda Jean Leonard of Jamestown, because Leonard was having some difficulties. The girl then went to live with her aunt, Wynn, police said.
But in early 2007, Leonard was turning her life around, and the court granted her custody of her daughter, DiGiacomo said.
“The allegation is that [Wynn] got word that RJ was being turned back over to her mother, and Wynn and Amacher bolted to Mexico with the girl,” the prosecutor said.
Police circulated word nationwide about the missing girl, but they had no luck finding her until early this week, when a Texas law enforcement officer reported that he had seen a disheveled white girl begging for food in Matamoros, the prosecutor said.
FBI agents contacted Mexican authorities, who took Wynn, Amacher and the girl into custody Wednesday night, turning them over to American authorities at the Mexico-Texas border.
Investigator David Morton and Jamestown-based FBI Agent Peter J. Langrish worked on the case with FBI agents from Buffalo and McCallen, Texas, along with Jamestown police.
Authorities said more details will be revealed at a news conference, which has not yet been scheduled.
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