Alliance Police: Mom charged after boy, 2, was found safe

Benjamin Duer, Canton Repository
Updated ·1 min read

ALLIANCE ‒ The non-custodial mother of a 2-year-old boy taken from his home has been arrested.

Nicole R. Middleton, 33, faces felony counts of abduction and burglary, according to Stark County Jail records.

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According to police, the child, Cole Smart, was forcibly taken from his home in the 500 block of East Oxford Street by Middleton. The child had last been seen at 11:14 p.m. Saturday in Alliance, prompting an alert.

According to Alliance police, Cole Smart, 2, of Alliance, was taken by his non-custodial mother, Nicole R. Middleton, prompting an alert Monday. The child was later found safe and Middleton was arrested.
According to Alliance police, Cole Smart, 2, of Alliance, was taken by his non-custodial mother, Nicole R. Middleton, prompting an alert Monday. The child was later found safe and Middleton was arrested.

Around 6:30 p.m. Monday, the missing child alert was canceled after the child was found.

Detective Lt. Donald Wensel on Tuesday said officers found Middleton and the child still in town, "trying to find friends to stay with." A police report showed they were found on East Keystone Street. The child was taken by Stark County Children Services and returned to his temporary guardian.

"She didn't get far," Wensel said.

Nicole R. Middleton
Nicole R. Middleton

The police report also said Middleton was taken to Aultman Alliance Community Hospital for jail clearance, and her "turbulent behavior" made it initially difficult for officers to get fingerprints and a jail photo. Her initial appearance in Alliance Municipal Court is Wednesday.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Alliance Police at 330-821-9140.

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Alliance Police: Nicole R. Middleton charged after boy, 2, was taken