The woman arrested in connection to Tuesday’s Amber Alert for a Miami Gardens boy was not legally allowed to have any contact with him, according to police.
Tameeka Budwah, 45, faces a number of charges including false imprisonment of a child, interference of parental custody and burglary.
According to Miami Gardens police, just after 3 p.m. officers were dispatched to 17730 NW 14 Avenue to check out reports of a child custody-related incident.
There they met with Markeith Phillips. She told them that she had picked up Liam Smith, 9, from Norwood Elementary School. She said as they were driving to a residence she noticed that they were being followed by a woman driving a black Honda Civic.
Phillips said when they arrived she got out of her car and was confronted by Budwah, who she said was driving the Honda, according to the arrest report.
Budwah is Liam’s mother, according to boy’s father Anton Smith.
Phillips said Budwah told her she was there to pick up Liam for a doctor’s appointment. When Phillips told her she was going to call Smith, 48, to see if that was okay, Budwah opened the car door, got Liam out and the two drove off, according to the arrest report.
Police said Budway took Liam’s cellphone and school issued laptop and refused to return them.
Budwah and Smith have a history
In 2017, Liam was at the center of a paternity suit between Budwah and Smith, according to court documents. The couple was also involved in two domestic violence civil cases in 2019. All three cases have been closed.
Phillips reportedly told investigators that Smith has full custody of Liam and Budway was not authorized to have any contact with him. Police confirmed there is a permanent domestic violence injunction in place and Budwah had violated the court order, according to the arrest report.
An Amber Alert was then issued for Liam, indicating that he would be in the company of Budwah.
Police said they were able to contact Budwah by phone and she agreed to meet at Miami Gardens police headquarters. When she arrived, police said Liam, who they describe as “visibly shaken and scared,” was reunited with his father as Budwah was taken into custody.
