Mother Accused Of Kidnapping Son, Prompting Amber Alert Remains In Custody
WESTMINSTER, Colo. (CBS4) - A mother is in custody and officers are considering whether to charge anyone else in the kidnapping of a young boy in Westminster on Monday that triggered an Amber Alert.
Tiffany Rasnic, 31, is accused of kidnapping her son, 10-year-old Austin Rasnic. She faces charges of kidnapping and violating a protection order.
According to Westminster Police, Austin was picked up from school by a relative Monday afternoon. While at a red light at 80th and Lowell, police said a man in the vehicle behind them approached Austin's relative and flashed a badge or ID of some kind telling the woman to give up Austin or she'd be arrested. That's when the boy's mother, Tiffany Rasnic, allegedly took the boy out of the car by force.
According to police, Austin Rasnic was found safe in Wheat Ridge after they received a tip following the Amber Alert.
The family of the child says what happened was frightening and they are just happy Austin is back home with his father. Austin's father didn't want to talk on camera but told CBS4's Jennifer Brice his son is doing fine.
The father says he has custody of Austin and his ex-wife, Tiffany Rasnic, is not supposed to have contact with him because of a protection order. The circumstances of the protection order were not released, but Westminster Police spokeswoman Kate Kazell said Tiffany Rasnic has a criminal history so there was concern Austin was in danger. She has one other prior arrest in Colorado for shoplifting. It's not clear if she has a criminal history in other states.
Police say there was also a man in custody Monday night but detectives are following up to determine his involvement in the kidnapping.
Rasnic has a court date on Wednesday. Her bond was set at $10,000.
