UPDATE: Woman pleads “no contest” in West Covina parental child abduction case

LOS ANGELES – A woman accused of abducting her daughter from West Covina and taking her away from her father to Germany for two years pleaded “no contest” Thursday to a charge of deprivation of child custody.
Teresa Luisa Smith, also known as Teresa Smith Selvage, entered the plea at was scheduled to be her preliminary hearing in Los Angeles Superior Court, Los Angeles County District Attorney’s spokeswoman Shiara Davila-Morales said.
“Under the terms of the negotiated plea, Smith is expected to be sentenced to five years formal probation, 270 days in county jail, and two years in state prison, suspended,” she said.
Under the deal, Smith will not serve the prison sentence, provided she complies with the terms of probation. Sentencing was scheduled for Oct. 27.
Additionally, “Per the terms of the plea deal, the defendant must follow all orders of the family court,” Davila-Morales said. A second charge of felony child stealing was dismissed.
Smith, 39, had been living with then-boyfriend Raul Gonzalez, the father of 4-year-old Theda Gonzalez, when she suddenly left town with the girl in May of 2009, officials said.
She took the child to Colorado, and then to Germany.
For two years, Raul Gonzalez used local, national and international courts to try to get his daughter back. Last month, he succeeded.
Theda Gonzalez, who now speaks only German and is just learning English, was dropped off at a German social services office in September, and soon reunited with her father.
A few weeks later, Teresa Smith had made arrangements with the consulate in Frankfurt Germany and was on a plane to Los Angeles, West Covina police Detective Irene Meza said.
Authorities took her into custody at LAX Sept. 29.
“I’m happy that justice was served,” Raul Gonzalez said. “I’m just hoping she’ll understand what she did was wrong.”
Through her attorneys, Raul Gonzalez said, Smith has indicated she will be seeking some form of custody of Theda.
He said he felt more secure knowing that Smith would be on a lengthy probation once released from jail.
Raul Gonzalez is currently looking for a preschool for Theda.
“She’s doing wonderful,” he said.

Facebook Twitter Reddit Tumblr Linkedin Email