Custody battles in Fredericksburg, Virginia can be very difficult for the parties involved. The thought of not being able to see one's child each day can make a parent behave abnormally, potentially leading them to perform criminal acts. One woman did just such a thing after she was determined unfit to be a parent during a custody dispute.

After a court ordered custody of a young boy to his grandmother, a 25-year-old woman -- the boy's mother -- allegedly made the decision to kidnap her own son, thus violating the court order. The 5-year-old was taken from the home of his grandmother after his mother came to the door around 5:00 a.m., asking to use the bathroom. A friend of the grandmother had answered the door and allowed her to enter. Soon after, the boy's grandmother -- also the mother of the 25-year-old -- woke up and realized that her daughter was in her home.

The 46-year-old woman had woken up just in time to see her daughter stealing the 5-year-old child away. At the time, the boy was wrapped in a blanket and was wearing nothing more than a diaper. The grandmother attempted to chase the 25-year-old, but did not succeed in catching her. She saw her get away in a vehicle that had been parked nearby.

The police were contacted directly after the situation unfolded. Four hours later, the 25-year-old was caught by police who had found her with the help of the grandmother. She had provided the authorities with the mother's cell phone number. They then used the signal on the phone to pinpoint her location.

According to reports, the 5-year-old child was not harmed in any way.

The woman has been charged with one felony count of interfering with child custody and now faces a maximum sentence of 5.5 years in prison.

Source: Sheboygan Press, "Sheboygan mother charged with snatching child in custody battle," Dec. 12, 2011