CHESTER COUNTY, Pa. — The mother of a 6-year-old girl has been arrested following a kidnapping that issued a state-wide Amber alert.
Venessa Gutshall, 37, was arrested Thursday, Oct. 27 for the kidnapping of her 6-year-old daughter at East Ward Elementary School in Downington on Oct. 25.
According to Downington police and the Chester County District Attorney's Office, Gutshall and her daughter were located in Fairfax, Virginia after a traffic stop. The child is safe and appears unharmed.
Police documents state that Gutshall did not have custody rights for her daughter and was only allowed to visit her during supervised visits. Gutshall has been homeless and there were concerns about her ability to keep her daughter safe.
Following a court-ordered, non-school-related supervised visit on Oct. 25, a contractor for Chester County Children, Youth & Family reported to police that the mother fled with her daughter.
Gutshall was then later seen that same day at the Rivertowne Restaurant & Bar in Wrightsville without her daughter.
The Amber alert was issued soon after.
According to police, Gutshall was arrested by Fairfax County Police in Mclean, Va. at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday after police spotted a stolen Virginia license plate on the same car she has previously fled in.
Gutshall's daughter was found hidden under blankets in the back set of the car.
Gutshall has been charged with kidnapping a minor, unlawful restraint of a minor, endangering the welfare of children and related charges.
She is currently awaiting extradition back to Chester County.
"Local, county, and federal law enforcement worked around the clock and never gave up hope of finding this little girl," said District Attorney Deb Ryan. "She is safe tonight because of the efforts of Downingtown Police, the FBI, Chester County Detectives, Fairfax County Police, and law enforcement from Dauphin, York, and Lancaster Counties."
