LEWISTON — A Wilton woman charged with kidnapping three young children after driving off in their father’s Jeep with them in it last November appeared in court again Wednesday.
Shannon Lee Dupree Androscoggin County Jail photo
An 8th District Court judge allowed Shannon Dupree, 42, to be released from jail after she posted $250 cash bail.
Last month, she was arrested in Wilton and charged with violating conditions of release after she appeared under the influence at a home in that town where police had responded to a 911 call. After her arrest, a Farmington District Court judge set her bail at $250 cash and she was freed after posting it.
On Tuesday, she was again arrested, this time by Maine State Police in Rumford on a warrant from a motion to revoke her bail that was filed by prosecutors. A hearing on that motion is set for Feb. 13.
Dupree was indicted earlier this month on three counts of kidnapping, each Class A felony charge punishable by up to 30 years in prison. She also faces nine other charges, including three felonies.
Authorities said in an affidavit that Dupree denied having any recollection of the events of Nov. 9, 2019, when she got into a stranger’s SUV that was parked at Brettun’s Variety store and gas station on Route 4 in Livermore. She drove it about 15 miles with three young children inside before plowing it into a house and garage on a dead-end road in Jay, according to court records.
Dupree appeared in court Nov. 11 in Lewiston and two days later was released on $2,000 cash bail on charges of criminal restraint and unauthorized use.
Two warrants were issued for Dupree’s arrest, one for the current charges and one for failing to appear in court on unrelated charges. Her whereabouts were unknown on Jan. 10, according to a grand jury report that indicted her Jan. 6 on the kidnapping charges and other counts.
She was arrested 12 days later in Rumford.
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