NIAGARA COUNTY, N.Y. — A mother who disappeared from Niagara County with her children has been extradited back to Western New York.
Katie Riford and her kids were found in New Mexico earlier this month, but on Thursday morning, she appeared in court on charges including custodial interference.
Investigators say she left Wheatfield with her children back in 2018. They say she flew under the radar for years, using a different name.
The district attorney says she was released from custody Thursday, and that she is due back in court on March 29.
The sheriff's office had been looking for Riford and her two children, Mason Riford and Olivia Riford-Diarbakerly. They were last seen on February 6, 2019.
The three were located on March 2 in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
"She was able to stay off the radar in changing her name. The usual methods that we use to try to find people did not work, so it's my firm belief that she was getting help from family. We do believe that there's some family that live in that area, and she was also getting help from family back here," said Niagara County Sheriff Michael Filicetti.
The sheriff would not talk about how Riford was getting money to rent an apartment in New Mexico, but did say she was not working and that she has family in New Mexico.
Riford was taken into custody on two active warrants, one for custodial interference and one for violation of a family court order from Niagara County Family Court.