Fourth suspect, grandmother, arrested in Culver kidnap of baby

(Update: Veronica Redfox arrested in Madras)

Paternal grandmother injured, friend hit with gun, then shot, sheriff says

CULVER, Ore. (KTVZ) – Three Madras residents accused in the kidnapping of a 7-month-old girl from her paternal grandmother were arrested Sunday and a fourth suspect, the maternal grandmother, was arrested Tuesday after a confrontation at a Culver home in which a man was shot, Jefferson County Sheriff Jim Adkins said.  

The baby, apparently unharmed, was found with her mother at a Madras motel.

Deputies responded around 6:30 p.m. Sunday to a home on Southwest Sundance Lane in Culver on a report of an adult being shot and a child abducted, Adkins said.

An investigation determined the paternal grandmother, who had custody of her 7-month-old grandchild, was confronted by the child’s aunt, Kyeesha Alvarez, 25; her boyfriend, Caleb Asher, 24; and the child’s maternal grandmother, Veronica Redfox, 55, the sheriff said.

The three used force to take the child from the grandmother, causing possibly serious injuries, the sheriff said. A friend of the woman who tried to intervene was struck in the head with a handgun. Adkins said he then tried to go into the house to call police, when Asher shot him and the three suspects fled with the girl. The gunshot victim was treated at the hospital and released.

Shortly after 9 p.m., Asher and Alvarez contacted deputies at the sheriff’s office regarding their alleged involvement in the incident and were interviewed by detectives, then jailed.

The child’s mother, Breann Redfox, 24, and the child were located at a Madras motel, where the woman was arrested without incident on outstanding warrants and new charges from what had occurred.

The girl is in the custody of a family member and is believed to not have been physically injured, Adkins said.

The three were arrested and jailed on charges including attempted murder/conspiracy, second-degree kidnapping, assault and recklessly endangering.

They were arraigned Monday on revised charges that for Asher included second-degree attempted murder, conspiracy, robbery, two counts of assault and first- and second-degree custodial interference, court records showed.

Alvarez has been charged with criminal conspiracy, custodial interference, robbery and assault. Breann Redfox is charged with conspiracy and custodial interference.

They are scheduled to return to court Friday for arraignment on expected grand jury formal indictments.

Adkins said Veronica Redfox was located arrested Tuesday afternoon around 3 p.m. at a tent in Madras near the Willow Creek walking path, in the area of a homeless camp.

The Central Oregon Major Incident team was activated as a result of the abduction, Adkins said. Adkins said the sheriff’s office also wanted to thank the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, Bend and Redmond police, Oregon State Police and the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office “for their prompt assistance” in the matter.

“Jefferson County is extremely grateful to the (major incident) team, as this is at least their fifth call-out to Jefferson County since May in response to an unusually high level of violence within the county,” Adkins said.