Dispute over child lands woman behind bars again

MITCHELL— On Saturday, June 8, Mitchell Police Officer Jordan Taylor investigated a complaint of a physical altercation at Ruler Foods.

Santana Williams

The woman told police she had taken 31-year-old Santana Williams’ two children inside the Ruler Food store and met with the other grandmother of the children, who also had one of William’s children. The two women had a brief conversation, and the children talked.

At one point, the woman asked the other grandmother if she would let the child attend a movie with the children, her and their mother, Williams. The grandmother said she would have to call the child’s father to get permission.

That is when Williams’ 14-year-old son grabbed his 8-year-old female sibling and ran from the store. The two adult women took off after the teen, and both then got into a physical altercation, pushing each other during the pursuit.

Williams parked the car in the parking lot and waited for the children to enter. All three children entered the vehicle, and Williams then drove to the Ace Hardware parking lot.

The grandmother ran after Williams to the parking lot to get the child.

Williams rolls down the window and tells the woman not to approach the vehicle because an active protective order is in place. Williams is recording the altercation on her phone.

Williams then leaves with the kids and goes to the Mitchell Police Department.

Officer Taylor spoke to a grandmother, who said she was in Ruler Foods when she was approached by Williams’ two older children and their grandmother. They asked if the child she was caring for could go to the movies with the children, Williams, and the grandmother. She told the woman she would need to speak to the child’s father. The grandmother who asked permission said that would never work and they would never see the child. That is when the grandmother encouraged the older boy to grab his sister and run. The grandmother ran after them. The women were pushing each other. The kids got into Williams’ vehicle, and she drove off. The grandmother followed Williams to the Ace Hardware parking lot. Williams ordered her not to approach the car. Williams then fled with the children.

The grandmother wanted to file charges against Williams for violating the protective order. The woman said that grabbing the younger child was a plan because there is currently no custody order in place between the father and Williams. The courts have not yet established custody. She believes Williams was in the area, stalking her to take the child.

Williams told police they were all going to Rulers when they spotted the woman’s vehicle. She dropped off her mother and children and left for Discount Tobacco. She said the kids wanted to see their sister, so she allowed her mother to take the kids into the store.

Williams said she heard yelling and saw her kids running, so she dove up to them and got them into the vehicle. She then immediately left because the grandmother of the youngest child was chasing them.

Williams was arrested on a charge of invasion of privacy.

Neither grandmother requested to file battery charges.

The report does not state if the child was returned to her grandmother or father.

Williams was arrested on Friday, May 24th, after a fight at Circle K on L Street. Williams was charged with domestic battery in the presence of a minor.