Mother, parents sentenced to probation in Baby William case

PHOENIX (KSAZ) - A young mother and her parents were sentenced to probation after authorities say the trio came up with an elaborate scheme for the mother to disappear with her 1-year-old son, in an effort to avoid sharing custody with the baby's father.

Nineteen-year-old Madeline Jones and her parents, Roland and Cassandra Jones, were all sentenced to three years of probation after pleading guilty to charges.

Authorities say on June 16, Roland Jones call police to report his daughter Madeline and her 1-year-old son William, were missing from their Mesa home.

The Jones' reported they were concerned about their daughter due to a recent divorce from her son's father and believed that the ex-husband had been abusive to both Madeline and Baby William.

Authorities say they determined that Madeline had run away with her son in an attempt to avoid sharing custody of the child with his father.

Investigators say phone records and social media showed that Madeline had searched "how to disappear" and attempted to change both her and William's appearance.

Madeline and her son were later found in California and her parents, Roland and Cassandra, were later arrested as they tried to leave Arizona.

"I take full responsibility for my actions in this case," said Madeline Jones during the hearing. "I apologize for not foiling the custody plan, and causing the court so much trouble."

The judge had some harsh words for Jones and her parents, saying the case brought back bad memories for him, from his time as a Family Court judge, and saw how horribly bitter parents could treat each other.

In this case, the judge said the Jones took that to "the next level".