Newmarket mom accused of kidnapping sons to stand trial
A Newmarket woman is set to stand trial for the 2009 abduction of her two sons, whom she took to Poland after losing custody. The case follows her recent extradition to Canada after years as a fugitive.
Why it matters
This case illustrates the complexities of international child custody disputes and the long-term legal consequences of parental abduction.
A Newmarket, Ont., woman accused of abducting her young sons from their father and taking them to Poland 17 years ago is heading to trial. Edyta Ustaszewska Watkins, 52, is scheduled to stand trial next October for two weeks before a judge and jury, accused of two counts of abducting a child under the age of 14. Ustaszewska Watkins remains behind bars after she was denied bail in April. A loved one proposed herself a surety with a pledge of $10,000. Arrested earlier this year in Europe and extradited back to Canada, Ustaszewska Watkins had been living overseas as one of Canada’s most wanted fugitives for the alleged kidnapping of her young sons from their father in 2009. Stephen Watkins had been awarded sole custody of his boys two months prior to their disappearance.
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