A woman who was accused of abducting a 16-month-old Columbia girl has been released from police custody after investigators determined that the case was a domestic situation, not an abduction, according to Howard County police spokeswoman Sherry Llewellyn.
Tiara Monique-Williams, 23, was apprehended Thursday, Oct. 6, at the home of a relative in Suitland. Earlier in the day police had found the child, Kayden King-Gayman, unharmed there.
Police were called at about midnight on Oct. 6 and told that Monique-Williams had been watching the toddler alone at the child's mother's home in the 9400 block of Ridgeview Drive, in Columbia, when she allegedly took the girl.
But Monique-Williams, detectives learned, "was once the mother's long-time domestic partner and … had participated in raising the child since birth," Llewellyn said. The two share responsibility for parenting the girl, and that information "was not fully provided to police by the mother," Llewellyn said.
Investigators believe Monique-Williams was staying with the child while the mother went out. Monique-Williams told police she had text messaged the mother and told her she was leaving the residence with the child, Llewellyn said.
Police are still investigating and will determine if anyone in the case will face criminal charges, Llewellyn said.
Though Monique-Williams has been released without prosecution in the missing child case, she was wanted on an unrelated arrest warrant in Prince George's County. She was brought to Howard County booking, processed and then released, police said.