Authorities have located troubled singer Mindy McCready, who is pregnant with twins, hiding out in a closet in Arkansas with her young son, Zander, 5. McCready took the boy, who has been living in Florida with her mother and stepfather, Gayle and Michael Inge, earlier this week.
The singer, 36, claimed to fear for her son's safety and requested that custody be restored to her, as she merely has visitation rights. The action of removing her son from his home and going on the run with him sparked a Florida judge to issue an emergency order to return the boy to the state immediately.
Now, CNN reports they were found in a home in Heber Springs, Arkansas. David Rahbany, the chief deputy U.S. Marshal in eastern Arkansas, said, "The child appeared to be in good condition when we found him...he was in the closet with his mother."
The home is believed to be that of McCready's boyfriend and local authorities had been watching the location for several hours before finding the child on the premises late Friday. Zander is now in the custody of the Arkansas Division of Children and Family Services. Arrangements are being made to return him to his grandmother in Florida, as she is his legal guardian.
"We feel sorrow for Zander because he's traumatized, and for Mindy," the Inges said. "We just hope she does the right thing from here on out and that this is a wake-up call for her."
McCready has not been charged with a crime. However, it is uncertain if she will be charged in the future.
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