Woman charged with kidnapping Utah child, hiding at religious compound for over a year

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) -- A Murray, Utah, woman who had previously lost custody of her child is charged after allegedly kidnapping the child from Utah with the help of others and taking the child to live at a religious compound in Missouri, according to the U.S. Dept. of Justice.

Kimberly Dell Davidson-Drolet, 53, of Murray, had a warrant issued for her arrest on Dec. 20, 2023, after allegedly kidnapping her "non-custodial child" from Utah, according to a press release from the DOJ.

She reportedly took the child to Springfield, Missouri, in Jan. 2023, where they stayed for more than a year, through June 2024.

Drolet was assisted in the kidnapping by her son Jaxson Davidson, 30, of Washington, Utah, according to the DOJ. Dallas Davidson, 23, of Washington, and Kristine Merrill, 53, of Murray, allegedly also conspired with Drolet, who officials said began planning the kidnapping 14 months in advance and used burner flip phones and lies to evade capture.

According to co...