U.S. Marshals and Sandpoint police bring accused parental kidnapper back to Idaho

COEUR d’ALENE, Idaho (KIFI) – Late Thursday, a team of Deputy U.S. Marshals arrived at the Spokane International Airport with 40-year-old Laurel E. Hannah in custody.

They traveled more than 4,000 miles to Costa Rica to pick her up from local authorities.

Hannah is the non-custodial mother who took her one-year-old child out of the country earlier this summer in August.

On Aug. 14, 2023, the Bonner County District Court in Sandpoint issued an arrest warrant for Hannah for Custodial Interference. The Bonner County Prosecutor’s Office later charged Hannah with kidnapping in the second degree.

Through Sandpoint Police Department’s diligent investigation, they quickly learned Hannah had likely fled the country. Due to fears the child was in danger, the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) Greater Idaho Fugitive Task Force in Coeur d’Alene joined the investigation to locate Hannah while the Sand Point Police Department continued to investigate the crime of custodial interference and kidnapping. The USMS task force worked non-stop to exhaust all investigative leads to locate Hannah and the missing child.

On August 23, 2023, Costa Rican authorities apprehended Hannah at the request of the United States and safely recovered the child. The USMS then worked with the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs to secure the extradition of Hannah from Costa Rica back to Idaho.

This case highlights the critical collaboration between local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies working together successfully towards a common goal. All the law enforcement partners are relieved the child in this case was safely returned to North Idaho. The United States Marshal for the District of Idaho, Brent Bunn, is appreciative of all the investigators from the Sandpoint Police Department, Bonner County Sheriff’s Office, Bonner County Prosecutor’s Office, U.S. State Department, FBI, and USMS Office of International Operations.

Sandpoint Police Chief Corey Coon echoed the sentiment of U.S. Marshal Bunn.

“Thank you to all the agencies coming together on this case, especially since there was a child involved," Chief Coon sid.

The USMS Greater Idaho Fugitive Task Force is a state-wide cooperative to locate and arrest violent state and federal fugitives. Member agencies throughout the State of Idaho include: Idaho State Police, Idaho Department of Corrections, Coeur d’Alene Police Department, Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office, Nampa Police Department, Pocatello Police Department, Post Falls Police Department and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement.