Grace Hughes’ mother to face court in Darwin over five-year-old’s disappearance

The mother of five-year-old Grace Hughes is due to face court in Darwin on Monday after being charged over the child’s disappearance.

THE mother of a five-year-old girl who was allegedly abducted and kept hidden by a group of conspiracy theorists for more than a week is due to face court on Monday over the child’s disappearance.

Grace Hughes’ mother Laura Adele Hinks is due to front the Darwin Local Court after the 35-year-old was arrested and charged with child abduction and attempted child abduction on Saturday.

The search for Grace, after she was allegedly taken from a supervised parental visit at Hidden Valley Rd in Berrimah on August 7, sparked a Territory-wide search that drew on national police resources.

Laura Hinks will face court on Monday. Picture: Supplied/NTPFES

On Saturday, Detective Acting Senior Sergeant Jon Beer said Grace’s return to her lawful guardian was “the result of many hours of tireless police work”.

“We will continue to investigate this matter and identify other parties involved and place them before the courts,” he said.

“We want to thank the community who assisted and the other policing jurisdictions, the Australian Federal Police and the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission for their support in the investigation.”

Juliet Marie Oldroyd, 50, is also due to return to the Darwin Local Court on Monday after she was earlier charged with the same offences as Grace’s mother in relation to the alleged kidnapping.

Both women remain in custody after Oldroyd declined to make a bail application last week.

Second woman charged over Grace Hughes alleged abduction

A SECOND woman has been charged over the alleged abduction of Darwin five-year-old Grace Hughes.

The search for Grace, after she was allegedly taken from a supervised parental visit at Hidden Valley Rd in Berrimah on August 7, sparked a Territory-wide search that drew on national police resources.

NT Police on Saturday said a 35-year-old woman had been charged over the incident.

She has been remanded in custody, charged with abduct a child under 16 and attempt to abduct a child under 16.

She is due to face Darwin Local Court on Monday.

“The return of the five-year-old girl to her lawful guardian was the result of many hours of tireless police work,” Detective Acting Senior Sergeant Jon Beer said.

“We will continue to investigate this matter and identify other parties involved and place them before the courts.

“We want to thank the community who assisted and the other policing jurisdictions, the Australian Federal Police and the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission for their support in the investigation.”