By CHARLES ROMERIL
charles@du2.byu.edu
The couple who kidnapped their baby from a hospital after he was brought in for malnutrition and dehydration have been caught and detained in Montana. The couple claimed the child to be the Christ.
The children of Christopher and Kyndra Fink were placed in a foster home after physicians examined them.
Abel Ortiz, Regional Director of the Division of Child and Family Services, said they have placed David and Elijah Fink in foster care. He said it is the department's goal to keep the children together.
The Utah Division of Child and Family Services brought the children to Primary Children's Hospital in Salt Lake on Wednesday afternoon.
Bonnie Midget, media relations coordinator of Primary Children's, said a team of physicians at the hospital examined the children and said they are in good condition.
'The baby looks great, but David has some ongoing problems,' Midget said. 'David has not deteriorated. He is not worse from his last visit on the 19th when his parents took him away.'
Midget said David weighed 17 pounds at the time of the examination. He only weighed 16 pounds on Sept. 19.
Midget said the physicians instructed the foster family on how to care for the children. They will need to do follow-up examinations on the children to chart their progress.
'The doctors informed the foster family about danger signs to look for and the proper diet for the children. David will be more susceptible to infection,' Midget said.
She said David suffers from developmental delays and needs to grow.
'It is difficult to predict if there will be any long-term affects,' Midget said. 'Children have a great ability to compensate but every child is different. One child could respond well and another have difficulties.'
Ortiz said he has received a number of calls from people offering money, advice on what to do with the children and a home for the children to stay.
He said the future of the children is uncertain. The law states they must first try to reunify the children with the parents as long as the parents meet certain requirements.
The parents of the children are being held in the Yellowstone County Jail.
Mike McPharlin, University of Utah Police, said the couple could possibly be in Utah by the beginning of next week.
'The couple needs to go to the Federal Magistrate and then to the State Magistrate in Montana. It is expected the Federal charges will be dismissed and the couple will waive extradition,' McPharlin said.
'If everything runs smoothly we could pick them up tomorrow, but the district attorney said it will probably be next week,' he said.
He said the couple will face charges of child kidnapping and aggravated assault. The kidnapping charge is a first degree felony and the assault charge is third degree.
Special Agent George Dougherty of the FBI said if the federal charges are dismissed they will drop out of the investigation.
'We would be done with it with the exception of following through with the couple's activities while they were fugitives,' Dougherty said.
McPharlin said when the Finks are released to Utah authorities, he and other officers will fly up to Montana to escort the couple back to Utah.