Woman pleads not guilty in kidnapping case

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Corfman

Dulen

A woman indicted last week for allegedly attacking and kidnapping her son’s girlfriend pleaded not guilty to multiple charges Monday.

Edith A. Corfman, 51, of 540 Hagenbuch St., Urbana, pleaded not guilty to three counts of abduction and one count each of aggravated burglary, felonious assault and kidnapping stemming from a May 14 incident.

According to the Urbana Police Division, officers responded to a Concord Street residence on that date after a woman reported she was attacked inside her home, tied up and forcibly taken away with her infant daughter and a 4-year-old stepson in a vehicle by Corfman and her daughter Lindsey A. Corfman.

Police state that Edith Corfman is the mother of the victim’s boyfriend and grandmother of both young children.

Following an investigation, police learned that the victim’s boyfriend recently moved in with her, their infant daughter and another child. Once this happened, the couple reportedly started receiving text messages from an unknown person requesting that they meet at various locations throughout the city and messages about the well-being of another child who did not live with the couple.

The couple responded to the messages by telling the anonymous person to come to their home or quit texting them.

On May 14, the Corfmans reportedly arrived at the victim’s home unexpectedly, forcing their way into the residence. The Corfmans allegedly began attacking the victim as she was holding the infant and Edith Corfman attempted to force the victim to ingest a sleeping pill.

As the struggle continued, Edith Corfman reportedly attempted to strangle the victim before yelling for her daughter to bring her a sauce pan from the kitchen. Edith Corfman then allegedly used the pan to strike the victim in the head.

The victim was then tied up and forced to get into the Corfman vehicle with the two children. After being driven throughout Urbana, the vehicle stopped near the city pond at Melvin Miller Park, where Edith Corfman allegedly threatened to throw the infant into the pond unless the victim agreed to help convince her son to give up custody of the child to her.

Edith Corfman did this by reportedly using the victim’s cell phone to make fake text entries and send them to her own phone as well as to her son’s phone, indicating that the victim no longer wanted to have custody of the infant.

When police responded to the victim’s residence, several cuts, scrapes and contusions were observed on the victim’s head and face. Both children were found uninjured.

Police obtained a search warrant for the Corfman residence and the vehicle involved and recovered evidence to be used in a criminal case.

“This was a time-consuming and difficult case to investigate,” Urbana Police Chief Matt Lingrell stated. “But the effort of Officer Todd Burkett helped to bring about a relatively quick closure to a strange and troubling crime.”

During Monday’s hearing, a bond modification request was denied and Edith Corfman’s bond remained at $100,000. As part of her bond, she is prohibited from having contact with her daughter and any of the victims.

Referencing her criminal history, Champaign County Assistant Prosecutor Benjamin Hoskinson said Edith Corfman was charged with interference with custody and disorderly conduct in a 2011 Champaign County Municipal Court case.

A court statement filed in the case states that Edith Corfman took a 2-month-old infant without permission from the parent on March 30, 2011. After law enforcement arrived to ensure the child was returned, they struggled with her to get the child.

Hoskinson stated the child involved in the municipal court case was a victim in the current case.

Lindsey Corfman, 19, of 540 Hagenbuch St., Urbana, was indicted last week on three counts of abduction and one count each of aggravated burglary, felonious assault and kidnapping. An arraignment hearing for her is scheduled for June 17.

Woman pleads not guilty to heroin possession

A St. Paris woman indicted last week after her child found her unresponsive pleaded not guilty to heroin possession charges Monday.

Appearing via video arraignment, Mary J. Dulen, 28, of 13531 Speaks Road, pleaded not guilty to possession of heroin, a fifth-degree felony, and misdemeanor charges of possessing drug abuse instruments and endangering children a week after she was arrested for the alleged conduct.

On June 1, Champaign County deputies were dispatched to her residence on a report of her being unconscious and possibly not breathing. Dispatch advised the caller was Dulen’s grandfather, who stated his 3-year-old great granddaughter went to his residence and stated her mother had died.

The sheriff’s office reported that Dulen was found unresponsive on the bathroom floor of her residence before relatives stated they shook her and were able to get her to her feet in the living room area where she was confused and could not stand.

Christiansburg Fire and EMS responded to the residence and treated Dulen, who advised that she had injected herself with heroin after taking a bath. A used syringe and other drug abuse items were found in the bathroom.

The grand jury indictment contends that Dulen was convicted of or pleaded guilty to possessing drug abuse instruments in April in Dayton Municipal Court.

During Monday’s hearing, Dulen was placed on a personal recognizance bond under the conditions that she remain at her residence and not have contact with her daughter as directed by Champaign County Children’s Services as part of an ongoing investigation.

Dulen was one of seven people indicted by a Champaign County grand jury last week for possession of heroin. Of the 27 people indicted last week, 17 were indicted for drug-related charges.

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