TACOMA, WA – Today Pierce County Prosecutor Mark Lindquist charged Bryndi Gibson and Beau Blasius with Custodial Interference in the First Degree, and Unlawful Possession of a Stolen Vehicle after the two fled Montana with 12 month old B.B. On Sunday morning, an Amber Alert tip alerted authorities to the location of a stolen pick-up truck and Fife Police Department officers were able to safely recover the one year-old child. The officers also arrested the defendants.
"This is a great example of the Amber Alert system at work," said Prosecutor Mark Lindquist. "Thanks to a tip from the public, the police were able to safely recover the child before any harm came to him."
On April 27th, B.B. was living with his paternal grandparents, Rodney and Karen Blasius, in Flathead County, Montana. The couple had been designated to care for B.B. after the State of Montana had suspended the defendants' parental rights and declared B.B. a ward of the State of Montana. The defendants are B.B.'s biological parents. At about 8:45 p.m., defendant Beau Blasius arrived at the his parents' home and demanded to take B.B. with him. The couple refused to give him the child and he left. Later that evening, the defendant broke into the house, took B.B. out of his crib and fled.
Flathead County Sheriff's deputies issued an Amber Alert and soon learned the defendants had taken a white 1994 Chevrolet pick-up truck from its owner in Montana. This information was added to the Amber Alert. On the morning of April 28th Fife Police received an anonymous tip that the vehicle referred to in the Amber Alert was parked at the Emerald Park Apartments. Officers responded and arrested the defendants. They found B.B. unharmed in the vehicle.
The defendants were arraigned today in Pierce County Superior Court. They pleaded not guilty, Blasius' bail was set at $50,000, and Gibson's bail was set at $100,000.
The defendants are also facing burglary, kidnapping and theft of motor vehicle charges in Montana, and will be extradited to Flathead County, Montana after the Pierce County cases conclude.
Charges are only allegations and a person is presumed innocent unless he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
For more information, please contact Kelly Kelstrup at (253) 798-7792, [email protected].