Woman arrested for kidnapping in Palma

AN Algerian woman was arrested in Palma for allegedly kidnapping her daughter from a French children’s shelter in 2006. 

Shortly after the birth of her child, the parents were deemed incapable of caring for the infant, who was taken into governmental custody in the French town of Orleans on a judge’s order. Along with the father, the mother took her infant from the institution and since then there had been no record of her whereabouts.

In 2009 the French authorities issued a European arrest and return warrant. She was reportedly spotted drunk at the reception of a hotel in Palma de Mallorca talking with customers, according to a report in Spanish daily Diario de Mallorca. Since she had only paid for one night at the hotel and was acting ‘aggressively’ at the reception desk, ‘insulting’ people who ignored her, hotel management asked her to pack her bags and check-out.

Shortly after, a chambermaid went to her room. Upon entering she came upon the mother allegedly smoking and drinking alcohol with music blaring from the television. By her side was a five-year-old girl.

The 091 National Police family service SAF were called who found enough evidence to arrest the woman for neglect. When they entered her details into their database, they realized that there was an international arrest warrant out on her for the kidnapping of her daughter. The 40-year-old Algerian woman had planned to stay on the island until June 23.

By Nicole Hallett