Custodial interference is commonly unreported crime, DA says after woman’s arrest near Sisters for abducting her 3 kids

(Update: Adding video, comments from DA)

SISTERS, Ore. (KTVZ) – A transient wanted on an Idaho warrant for kidnapping her three young children in Caldwell, Idaho, was found at a camp near Sisters on Sunday morning, and the two girls and a boy, ages 4-7, also were found there unharmed, Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies said Monday.

Around 7:30 a.m. Sunday, a deputy was conducting routine patrol in the area of US Highway 20 and Forest Service Road 4606 near Sisters and discovered a camp believed to be occupied by a transient identified as Leah Marie Sharp, 37, Sergeant Jason Wall said.

She was wanted out of Idaho on three counts of first-degree kidnapping and three counts of first-degree custodial interference out of Caldwell, Idaho, Wall said.

The deputy also learned she likely was with her three children – a 4-year-old boy and girls ages 4 and 7, who were “listed as missing and endangered,” the sergeant said in a news release.

“While the deputy maintained constant surveillance on the camp, several other deputies converged to the scene, contacted the female and took her into custody without incident,” Wall said. The three children were found in Sharp’s custody at the camp and “appeared to be unharmed,” he added.

Oregon’s Department of Human Services – Child Welfare Division responded to the scene and took custody of the children, making arrangements for their transport back to Idaho.

Sharp was booked into the Deschutes County Jail in Bend on the out-of-state warrant and held there pending her return to Idaho, Wall said.

Wall told NewsChannel 21 a judge had permanently removed Sharp's custodial rights. He said she went to the foster home where the kids were temporarily housed and removed them.

"She had been on the run for approximately 24 to 36 hours," he said, crediting "great work by our deputy" for locating the woman and children.

According to Deschutes County District Attorney Steve Gunnels custodial interference is not a commonly reported crime in Central Oregon.

"In terms of cases that are actually reported to the police and then referred to our office, there are very few really," Gunnels said Tuesday. "For example, in 2023, we filed three custodial interference cases, and two of those involved one parent taking the child out of the area or out of state without the custodial parent's permission. "

In Oregon, custodial interference is a felony, but can carry only a year sentence, depending on the circumstances.

"In Oregon, it would depend on somebody's criminal history," Gunnels said. "If the person has a bad criminal history already and they commit a felony, then they could go to prison for custodial interference. If they don't have any criminal history and it's a felony or it's a misdemeanor, they could get as low as probation with some jail time."