Charges dropped against Fayetteville mother who took children from grandma's house

FAYETTEVILLE, NC (WTVD) -- Charges against Catrina D. Lucas, who took her 1-year-old and 4-month-old children from their grandmother's house Saturday night were dropped Tuesday.

Stay on top of breaking news stories with the ABC11 News App

Authorities said the children were in the grandmother's care as the result of a kinship agreement, not a court order.

Officers said Catrina D. Lucas, 20, of the 6400 block of Winter Park Drive took the children from their grandmother's home Saturday night after they were placed there by the Department of Social Services.

Police identified the two children as 4-month-old Antoin Marsh and Destiny Marsh who is 1 year old.

Lucas and the children were last seen in the area of Shaw Road, according to detectives.

On Tuesday police said, "At the time of the incident, the Department of Social Services (DSS) did not have a court order in place granting Lucas' mother, the children's grandmother, legal custody of the children. A kinship agreement was in place at the time, which is a civil agreement not held to the same standard as a court order."

The Fayetteville Police Department said they would still like to find Lucas and her children to make sure that they are safe.