Boy Awaiting Heart Transplant Abducted by Dad; Found Near Chicago

A 5-year-old boy who was allegedly kidnapped by his father from a St. Louis hospital has been tracked to a hotel outside of Chicago, the Chicago Tribune reports.

On Wednesday morning, Police found Porter Stone, who suffers from congestive heart failure and is a high-priority transplant candidate, unharmed at the Baymont Inn & Suites in Alsip. Authorities arrested Jeffrey Stone, the boy’s father, in the hotel room, charging him with kidnapping, endangering the welfare of a child, and interference with child custody.

On Tuesday, St. Louis Children’s Hospital discharged the boy to his parents. Jeffrey Stone told the Porter’s mother he was taking the boy to pick up his prescriptions from the hospital’s pharmacy. Soon after, Stone allegedly called the boy’s mother, telling her that “he was taking his son,” according to police.

The search for Porter was a race against time, as the boy had been abducted without two of his “required and prescribed medications” or IV equipment needed to administer a drug that improved his heart function. Ultimately, police were able to locate Porter by tracing the numerous taunting calls and texts Jeffrey Stone made to the boy’s mother.

Under Illinois law, any person who has violated court-ordered visitation or custody time by detaining or concealing a child with the intent to deprive another person of his or her rights to visitation or custody has committed unlawful visitation or parenting time interference. Custody or visitation interference is a petty offense, unless the person has two prior convictions for interference. In that case, it’s a Class A misdemeanor. Kidnapping, a much more serious offense, is a Class 2 felony under Illinois’ criminal code.

In addition to Jeffrey Stone, police arrested Porter Stone’s paternal grandmother and aunt at the Alsip hotel room, charging them with kidnapping, endangerment, and custodial interference as well.

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