Mom, aunt accused of abducting boy facing grand jury

CANFIELD

A case involving a mother accused of taking her son from his grandmother in front of Ursuline Preschool — and driving with the grandmother being dragged on the pavement by the car — has been bound over to a grand jury.

Lauren K. Sawdey, 19, of Holland, Ohio, outside Toledo, and her aunt, Rhonda L. Thomas, 42, of Newport, Mich., were both in Mahoning County Area Court here Friday for their preliminary hearings on charges of felonious assault and inducing panic, a misdemeanor.

Mike McBride, Mahoning County assistant prosecutor, asked that the misdemeanor charges be dropped and the felonious assault charges on both be bound over to the grand jury. Judge Hunter S. Scott sided with McBride after hearing from Sawdey’s attorney, Ron Yarwood, and Thomas’ attorney, Edward Hartwig.

“The court concludes that there is sufficient probable cause to believe that the alleged crimes have been committed,” Judge Hunter said.

McBride had argued: “We believe that the vehicle is a deadly weapon that was being used in an attempt to cause harm ... [and] the fact that she was dragged along the vehicle.”

Attorneys for Thomas and Sawdey argued this did not fit the qualifications for felonious assault, but Judge Hunter sided with McBride.

Read more about the case in Saturday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.