Could the Sacramento DA, the FBI and
America's Most Wanted TV show be wrong?

In a 1996 hearing, Stephanie Sims lost temporary custody of her three-year-old daughter Isabella to an abusive ex-boyfriend. Key information about him was apparently withheld from the proceedings. After trying to deal with the situation through the court system, Stephanie was told Isabella would be moved out of the country indefinitely.

Fearing for her daughter's safety, Stephanie took Isabella into hiding. They evaded the FBI for five years. Twice they just missed being caught—and from accounts of their lives by people who knew them, both mother and daughter were in good health and were happy and safe in their new communities. In September 2003, Stephanie was turned in to authorities in Scranton, Pennsylvania.

Stephanie is now being held in the Sacramento (CA) County Jail on charges of kidnapping. The District Attorney wants her to go to prison for at least eight years. Isabella has been sent to her father, Stephanie's ex-boyfriend, who is known to be physically violent and a drug abuser, and has a criminal record of domestic violence and aggravated assault. Many of Stephanie's relatives are raising funds for her defense.

Stephanie's parents divorced when she was young. She had a rough childhood, was a latchkey child in San Francisco at an early age, and later ran away from home and got involved with drugs. The relationships she had with both her parents were rocky. There were allegations of molestation.

She was a heroin user for a time. She chose to go into recovery. While in the rehabilitation center, she met a man who became her boyfriend. After their treatment program was completed, they moved together back to Sacramento, California. In time, they gave birth to a child, Isabella.

Due to episodes of domestic violence, Stephanie left her boyfriend in order to keep Isabella safe. Various family members witnessed incidents of the ex-boyfriend's volatile temper and violence toward Stephanie and Isabella. Stephanie's aunt remembers Stephanie's mother talking about seeing Stephanie running down the street in tears, with the baby in her arms, escaping from the ex-boyfriend's abuse.

Even as a single mother, Stephanie was able to work and make a loving home for her daughter. Stephanie's mother was not able to see her granddaughter Isabella as much as she wanted during these years. At one point, Stephanie chose to go into a residential Mother & Child rehab program to help her further develop her mothering skills and coping skills so she could stay clean and sober while taking care of her child. Stephanie's mother was unhappy because neither Stephanie nor Isabella could be in contact with anyone outside the program during that time. This led to a deterioration of the relationship between Stephanie and her mother.

Stephanie's mother did not want her contact with Isabella to be severed. She and Stephanie's ex-boyfriend sued for custody of Isabella based on the allegation (apparently never investigated by police) that Stephanie was using drugs.

Substantial financial backing combined with the fact that the ex-boyfriend had met and married a woman (which gave the appearance of a stable home), as well as the fact that Stephanie's attorney was killed during the hearings (and her second attorney, from Legal Aid, left for another job during the proceedings) all contributed to Stephanie temporarily losing physical custody of her daughter Isabella.

The ex-boyfriend's drug abuse and criminal record of domestic violence and aggravated assault were apparently withheld from the proceedings.

Stephanie worked diligently over the next months to renegotiate the situation. The ex-boyfriend and his new wife then decided to move out of the country. Stephanie had no choice in the matter, and no means to visit her daughter on another continent. With limited resources and faced with the prospect of losing contact with her daughter (possibly forever) to the control of the abusive ex-boyfriend, Stephanie felt she had no other choice and took Isabella into hiding.

Stephanie's mother pushed an aggressive search for Isabella. Police officer relatives were involved. Stephanie was [mis]profiled on America's Most Wanted television show, depicted as a mentally ill heroin addict whose child was in grave danger. From that profile and from interviews which Stephanie's mother gave to the news media, as well as a website which was constructed, a false history was built up around Stephanie.

For five years Stephanie evaded the FBI. They tracked her down on several occasions, only to have Stephanie disappear minutes before they arrived.

By all accounts, both Stephanie and Isabella were happy and productive in the new lives they had created. While living in Scranton, Pennsylvania, successfully holding down several jobs and home schooling her daughter (who has been tested and is at or above grade level in every subject), Stephanie was turned in to the authorities (for reward money) after a "Have you seen me?" flyer with Isabella's picture on it was circulated.

One of her employers at a family bakery said that Stephanie had been an exemplary employee, and that she would be gladly rehired at any time.

Stephanie is now in the Sacramento County Jail facing charges of kidnapping and detention of a minor with intent to conceal from parent, the maximum charges the District Attorny can devise.

Isabella is in the custody of the ex-boyfriend and his wife, who now live in Southern California. Stephanie is very concerned about Isabella's physical safety and emotional well-being. She hopes that Isabella is being supported in her grief and confusion over the loss of her mother, home, and community.

After seeing Isabella, Stephanie's mother has described Isabella in these words: "She is an awesome little person. She is healthy and happy. She is sweet and outgoing and articulate and smart and gorgeous. She does cartwheels, back flips, stands on her head and does the 'upside down crab walk.' She loves to read and draw and write stories. She knows her times tables up to the 12's. She loves to help with whatever anyone else is doing. She is so excited about having her own bedroom. She wants to start school right away because she wants to have friends. She is a happy, healthy, energetic, smart and loving little girl. Isabella is at or above grade level…."

It is clear from her description of Isabella that Stephanie is an excellent mother. An excellent mother does not deserve to lose her daughter. Stephanie has already sacrificed five years of her life trying to protect Isabella from abuse. And Isabella has committed no crime and does not deserve to lose her loving mother at the age of 9 years old. Many of Stephanie's relatives are working together to raise funds for Stephanie's defense—the kind of defense she should have had when custody of Isabella was taken from her.

Above all, the family is working to assure Isabella's safety and well-being. They feel it is in Isabella's best interest to be returned to her mother's care and to rejoin her extended family. And hopefully, eventually, to have everyone who loves Isabella be a part of her life.