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Dunn House role in abduction debated By JONEL ALECCIA Mail Tribune A woman accused of snatching her 5-year-old daughter from Wisconsin fled to the Rogue Valley with no plans to return the child, authorities there alleged Wednesday. Once here, she found aid at Dunn House, where, authorities contend, women's shelter workers knew Heidi Maerz was wanted by police. "They're very much aware of what happened," said Detective Dave Fladten of the Walworth County (Wis.) Sheriff's Department. "Mom did not plan on returning with that child. Everything suggests she had no intention of returning her daughter." But representatives of Dunn House said a preliminary investigation showed that staff members had no idea the 21-year-old mother was a fugitive. "That's not true. Period," said Ed Roussell, spokesman for Community Works, which runs the shelter. "Staff did not know she had a warrant. Our investigation indicates there is no criminal action and certainly no criminal intent." A shelter worker was placed on leave pending an investigation into the incident by Oregon State Police. Maerz was arrested Dec. 6 on a charge of custodial interference stemming from a Wisconsin warrant. The warrant alleged that she failed to return her daughter, Sierrah D. Foster, to the child's father, Anthony Shane Foster, 28, as required by joint custody agreements. "She was supposed to have a visitation and she did not return the child," Walworth County District Attorney Phil Koss said. "It was supposed to be an in-state visit." Maerz's mother, Betty Garcia, 47, of White City, said Wednesday that a court agreement allowed her daughter to take Sierrah to Oregon and that car trouble prevented Maerz from returning to Wisconsin as scheduled. She said the young woman sought shelter from Dunn House because Shane Foster physically and emotionally abused her in Wisconsin and made threatening telephone calls to her in Oregon. "If protecting her child is a crime, then we should all be put in jail," Garcia said. Walworth detective Fladten said no complaints had been filed alleging that Foster abused Maerz or the child. He referred questions about Maerz's case to Koss, who said his office had never prosecuted her before the current charge. Koss would not say whether complaints of abuse had been lodged against Maerz. Whether Dunn House workers hid Maerz knowing police were looking for her is the subject of the ongoing OSP investigation. Fladten indicated there was some question about whether a Dunn House staff member or volunteer hid the child. Garcia, Maerz's mother, said the little girl was cared for by a family friend, not by a Dunn House worker. Representatives from the OSP and Community Works plan to meet Friday to discuss the issue. "I'm hoping that after the meeting on Friday, things will be much better," said OSP Lt. Kurt Barthel. "My hope is that we don't wind up trying to investigate this through the press and create any more hard feelings or mistrust." The incident has highlighted the potential for conflict between local law enforcement agencies and the shelter for abused women and children. Gerry Sea, chair of the Jackson County Council for Domestic and Sexual Violence, said local agencies have a long history of collaboration. "I have not seen any tension that exists between Dunn House and law enforcement," she said. "There is total mutual respect and cooperation." Roussell, of Community Works, said that Dunn House enjoys a good relationship with city and county law enforcement agencies, but hadn't worked much with the state police. "I wouldn't say we had a bad relationship before, but this had brought up the need for us to establish a regular relationship like we have with the other agencies," Roussell said. Maerz remained lodged Wednesday at the Jackson County Jail with no bail pending extradition to Wisconsin. Reach reporter JoNel Aleccia at 776-4465, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.