WA mother arrested for fighting cops pleads not guilty

UPDATE 1:39 p.m.: Santa Cruz County Courts said mother Erica Carey was released after her arraignment Monday morning. She is allowed to return home to Washington, but she is required to follow orders from the Washington Juvenile Court.

Carey pleaded not guilty to resisting officers and arrest and battery on an officer.

Her public defender, Rick Gazapura, will appear in court on her behalf during her next appearance on March 2.

UPDATE 2/9/2015 9 a.m.: Santa Cruz County Superior Court said mother Erica Carey will appear in court Monday morning for arraignment. She is charged with resisting an executive officer by California Highway Patrol for allegedly kicking and head-butting officers during a custodial issue with her family last week. Her bail is $5,000.

UPDATE 2/6/15 11:43 a.m.: Santa Cruz Child Protective Services said it can’t say much about a case involving the three small children allegedly abducted by their parents from Washington. But the department said in situations like this, the home state usually works very quickly to get the children back from where they were found.

Santa Cruz County said it assisted authorities in Washington as a courtesy and it’s not a very common situation for them to encounter.

CHP said Carey is facing felony battery on an officer for resisting orders during Thursday’s interaction in Aptos. She is being held in the Santa Cruz County Jail. Father Cleve Goheen-Rengo was released at the scene on State Park Drive.

4:11P.M.: CHP officers and Santa Cruz sheriff deputies say they have now arrested a Washington mother because she fought with officers as they tried to take her children and put them in local protective custody to be eventually taken to Washington.

The father was not put under arrest, but an unloaded gun was found in the back of a squad car.

2:35p.m.: California Highway Patrol officers say they have located the family missing from Washington State and are talking with Bellingham Police at this time about what to do. The parents were wanted by police and Child Protective Services after they were supposed to turn their children over to CPS but instead fled the state.

Santa Cruz County dispatch received a call from someone around 1p.m. Thursday afternoon that they had spotted the family at a gas station in Aptos near State Park Dr.

12:54pm: Two parents are on the run from police after Child Protective Services tries to take custody of their three small children, authorities said.

Police in Bellingham, WA said father, Cleve Goheen-Rengo, and mother Erica Carey were seen in Aptos on Monday. It’s unknown whether their children were with them. CPS has a court order to take custody of the children for their safety.

Bellingham police said the parents are driving a 4-door 2003 Hyundai Elantra, with a Washington plate of AAT3216. Authorities said they have family members in Arizona and Texas.

Police are asking anyone with information to not approach the family and call 911 immediately.