Westmoreland County woman kidnapped by her husband found in Kentucky, man taken into custody
By Patrick Damp
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Westmoreland County (KDKA) — Lydia Prince, the woman who ran into a police station after she escaped being kidnapped and held at gunpoint, only to be reported missing again, has been found.
The 48-year-old Prince earlier this week ran into the police station after her husband kidnapped her and held her at gunpoint. Days later, the Westmoreland County District Attorney’s Office said she had been missing since Thursday afternoon. The Scottdale Police Department added that they believed she was in a red Subaru with Pennsylvania license plates.
On Saturday morning, the Scottdale Police Department said that Prince and her husband, Shawn Prince, were found in Kentucky.
“On the evening of October 3, into the early morning hours of October 4, officers were alerted to the vehicle being seen by a roadside camera in Morehead, Kentucky,” Scottsdale police said in a release. “The officers immediately began calling as many agencies as possible in the area to obtain direction of travel, possible destinations, and getting Kentucky and Tennessee police officers to possible locations that the pair may be heading.”
Ultimately, the couple was found to be in the parking lot of a hotel in Maysville, Kentucky. Police in Maysville, along with Kentucky State Police, were able to take Shawn Prince into custody.
He is now awaiting extradition to Westmoreland County.
Woman goes missing just days after escaping kidnapping On Thursday, the Westmoreland County District Attorney’s Office said they were charging 29-year-old Shawn Prince with kidnapping, simple assault, terroristic threats, and harassment in connection with Lydia Prince’s kidnapping.
Lydia Prince’s family contacted the Scottsdale police on Wednesday after not hearing from her in days. Police went to the home, which was empty, but while they visited the home, they learned Lydia had gone to the police station.
She told police that after an earlier domestic incident, Shawn had kidnapped her, and he threatened to cut the throat of her friend’s child if she did not go with him.
He then took her to a wooded area and put a gun to her head. They stayed in the wooded area until Wednesday morning, and after that, Shawn allowed Lydia to drive, and recognizing where she was, she went to the Scottsdale Police Department.
“He told her to take over driving,” Mike Whipkey, police chief in Scottdale, said. “At that point, she noticed she was in the Ohiopyle area. So, she got her bearings and was able to come back to Scottdale.”
On Thursday, she was reported missing once again.
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