Dec. 15, 2025 — Redmond, Ore. Deputies with the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office rescued a 9-year-old girl and arrested her mother, 46-year-old Charity Lynn Carter of La Pine, after a 30-minute pursuit that began near La Pine and ended on Highway 97 near Hemlock Avenue.
The chase, which started around 8 p.m., involved erratic driving, collisions with multiple police and civilian vehicles, and stemmed from a custody dispute where the child’s father holds full custody.
Oregon State Police initiated the pursuit after spotting Carter’s vehicle in connection with a custodial interference report from Multnomah County, where Carter allegedly took the child from the Portland area without permission around Dec. 5. Carter refused to stop, leading deputies from DCSO and assistance from Redmond Police Department through Bend into Redmond.
In a Safeway parking lot in Redmond, Carter struck multiple patrol vehicles—including four DCSO units, two of which required towing—and two parked civilian vehicles while attempting to flee. Deputies deployed spike strips and executed a PIT maneuver on Highway 97 south of Exit 119, stopping the vehicle at 8:36 p.m. The child was safely removed unharmed, and reunited with her father. DCSO K9 Delta assisted in Carter’s arrest. No injuries were reported.
Deputies backed off multiple times due to concern over public safety, especially with the child in the vehicle. Carter continued to drive erratically even when not pursued.
Carter faces felony charges of two counts of first-degree custodial interference, fleeing or attempting to elude police, and first-degree criminal mischief, along with misdemeanors of recklessly endangering another person and reckless driving.
Additional charges from the Oregon State Police are expected, including potential kidnapping and hit-and-run.
During her Dec. 16 arraignment in Deschutes County Circuit Court, Judge Bethany Flint set bail at $25,000, ordering no contact with the child and prohibiting living near her.
There are lots of countervailing factors… significant disregard for the health and safety of others.
— Judge Bethany Flint
Northbound Highway 97 was closed for about 30 minutes for investigation and vehicle recovery. The DCSO released dashcam video capturing the Safeway lot collisions and PIT maneuver, with the child’s face blurred for privacy. Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office classified the initial taking as custodial interference, not kidnapping, and had issued a welfare check alert, but no AMBER Alert.
