Couple Allegedly Broke Into Relative’s Home To Remove Child

A Canaan woman and her boyfriend face charges after allegedly breaking into her sister's home and removing a child they believed was being mistreated.

The Somerset County Sheriff's Office says Emily Hartley and her fiance, Justin Baker believed a 4-year-old child was being mistreated. So at about 3:30 Saturday afternoon, they went to the child's parents' home and demanded to be let in, but the couple refused. Baker and Hartley then broke the door down, allegedly assaulted the couple, and grabbed the child. When the parents blocked the door, Hartley and Baker broke out a window in the back door and exited that way. WGME-TV reports the boy's mother and Hartley are sisters.

The boy was found at his grandparents' home and was not hurt in the incident. Hartley told authorities that she suspected something bad had happened to the boy in the past, but couldn't prove it. Still, she was concerned and so decided to go get him.

She and Baker are charged with burglary, aggravated criminal trespass, criminal restraint, two counts of assault, and criminal mischief. They were released on $5,000 cash bail each and face possible jail time for the charges.