COLUMBUS, Ohio — A Franklin County judge set bond Saturday at $1 million for a man charged with kidnapping after the disappearance of a 13-year-old girl in west Columbus earlier this month.
Shane Smith, 48, was arrested in Springfield on Nov. 8 in connection to the teen's disappearance, which prompted a statewide Amber Alert.
According to Franklin County Municipal Court records, the teen's father said his cameras caught his daughter taking her cat and leaving their house on South Huron Avenue at 5:08 a.m. on Nov. 8.
The father said the school bus did not come until 6 a.m. to pick up his daughter to go to school. He told police that he contacted the middle school she attended and learned that she had not arrived.
Detectives contacted the school counselor and learned that the girl was in contact with Smith, who was her stepfather. Court records say Smith was going to pick her up and take her to another state to start a new life as a couple.
An Amber Alert was issued for the girl at 3:40 p.m. and a warrant for Smith's arrest was also issued. The alert was canceled around 6:20 p.m. after family members told 10TV the girl was found at her grandmother's house in Springfield. Authorities found the vehicle associated with the alert, a white 2004 Ford Ranger, in Clark County.
Conditions of his bond include no possession of firearms or ammunition, and that he is required to stay away from the victim and where the incident occurred. His next court appearance is scheduled for Nov. 25.
