By Kolby LaMarche

A 33-year-old Colchester woman is being held without bail after Burlington police say she took a 3-year-old child from an apartment complex without the parent’s knowledge or permission.

Truc Mai was arrested Tuesday following an investigation into a reported kidnapping at the Bobbin Mill Apartments. Police were called to the complex at about 4:56 p.m. on Aug. 25 after receiving a report that a child had been taken.

Investigators determined that Mai approached the child while the child was playing outside the apartments and took the child to another location, according to Burlington police. Mai returned with the child about 90 minutes later. The child was reunited with the parent, police said.

Mai was taken into custody and ordered held without bail. Police said she has a criminal history in Vermont that includes misdemeanor convictions.

Police have not released additional details about the precise location where the child was taken or the nature of any interaction between Mai and the child beyond the account provided in their statement. 

The case was handled by Burlington police investigators who say Mai’s arrest occurred the same day as the reported incident. 

Police statements emphasize that the child was returned safely after approximately an hour and a half. The investigation focused on confirming the sequence of events: the approach to the child outside, the removal from the property, the time away, and the subsequent return and reunion with the parent.

Mai, identified as a resident of Colchester, was processed following her arrest. The decision to hold her without bail was made by the court based on the circumstances presented by prosecutors and police, according to court documents. 

The Burlington Police Department continues to seek information from anyone who may have witnessed events at the Bobbin Mill Apartments on the afternoon of Aug. 25. Tips can be directed to the officer listed in the department’s public request.

No further updates on the child’s condition or additional charges were included in the initial police information released late on Aug. 26, though it is believed the child was unharmed. 

In Vermont, kidnapping charges can carry significant penalties depending on the specific statute applied, the age of the alleged victim, and any aggravating factors, but typically carry a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, or up to 30 years if the defendant voluntarily released the victim alive and unharmed before arraignment.