Waterville woman's kidnapping charge dismissed

EPHRATA — A Waterville woman who was accused of kidnapping a girl she had raised since birth is no longer facing a kidnapping charge.

On Monday Grant County Superior Court Judge John Antosz signed a motion filed by Chief Deputy Prosecutor Alan White to dismiss the first-degree kidnapping charge against Shirley Jackson, of Waterville. Jackson was accused of kidnapping 6-year-old Angel Jackson, whom she had cared for since her birth, in May 2016.

White’s motion for dismissal stated Jackson had an informal, oral agreement with Angel’s mother to raise the girl, which Jackson had done for six years. Angel's mother had another child who was formally adopted by a family who lives in Moses Lake.

When the investigation into Angel’s disappearance first started, her biological mother told police she allowed Jackson to take care of Angel and Jackson was the one who hatched the idea to list Angel’s last name as Jackson on her birth certificate. This was done so Jackson could obtain state assistance. The mother advised investigators Jackson had no legal right to Angel and never did and the reason she allowed her to care for the girl is because she, the biological mother, was in a “bad situation” when Angel was born.

“The crime charged centers around the allegation that in May 2016, the defendant did not bring (Angel) to a Grant County family law court hearing involving a parenting plan filed by the (family who adopted Angel’s sibling) seeking increased parental time with (Angel),” wrote White.

The family obtained a court order, which demanded Jackson bring Angel to a court hearing for the purposes of the hearing plan. White states Jackson left her residence in Douglas County, but local law enforcement agencies were not able to locate either Jackson or Angel.

Jackson was charged with first-degree kidnapping in September 2016, alleging she kidnapped Jackson in an attempt to interfere with court proceedings. Jackson was picked up by U.S. Marshals near Bakersfield, Calif. in November and transported back to Grant County. Angel was found safe and has been in the care for the family who adopted her sibling since her return.

Jackson has a distant felony conviction in the 1970s and three previous district court convictions. What initially gave police cause for concern was Jackson’s prior involvement with Child Protective Services (CPS). She has a history of at least three prior complaints against her that were investigated by CPS, which resulted in confirmed findings. None of the complaints involved Angel.