Florida woman faces felony charges in bigamy case

The Waynesboro Police Department has charged a Florida woman with bigamy, perjury and parental kidnapping after being alerted in early January that she had married a second person and fled Virginia with her three children.  Keyshana Rae Childress, 28 years old of Gainesville, Florida, faces one count each of perjury and bigamy and three counts of intentionally withholding a minor child outside of Virginia in violation of a custody or visitation order.  All are felonies.

On January 7, 2015, Childress’ husband, a 51-year-old Charlottesville man, reported to the Police Department that he had learned his wife, Childress, had married a woman and taken their three children, aged 6, 4 and 3, without his permission and against a Child Custody/Visitation Order to Florida.   Childress’ husband provided to police a marriage certificate for Childress and him issued in February 2008 by the Charlottesville Circuit Court.    A check through the Virginia Department of Health’s Division of Vital Records indicated that no divorce record for Childress and her husband exists.

On October 8, 2014, Childress and her partner, a 27-year-old Waynesboro woman, obtained a marriage license from the Waynesboro Circuit Court.  Childress also resided in Waynesboro at the time.   Officers determined that Childress falsified on the application for marriage license that she was not presently married to anyone else and lied to the deputy clerk when put under oath.  At some point between her second marriage and January 2015, Childress left Virginia to reside in Florida with her wife and three children.   Florida is the original home of Childress’ wife.

In early January, Waynesboro Police obtained five felony warrants for Childress.  Through a family member, officers were able to determine Childress’ address in Gainesville.  Officers communicated with Gainesville authorities in early January and Childress was arrested.  She was held in Alachua County Jail until she was extradited by the United States Marshals Service last week.  She is presently being held without bond at Middle River Regional Jail.