Missing six-year-old will need counselling, say police

Jayden Headley is missing with grandfather Dick Headley (centre), while father Chris Jones is locked in a custody battle.

A young Hamilton boy at the centre of a bitter child custody row will probably need serious psychological counselling when he gets home, say police.

Jayden Headley's mother Kay Skelton was jailed yesterday when she refused to tell Justice Patrick Keane in the High Court in Hamilton where her father Dick Headley and her son were.

Headley, 68, allegedly kidnapped the six-year-old from the Hamilton Public Library in August.

Detective Sergeant Andy Bubear said there was no doubt Skelton knew where they were.

He said police could not absolutely rule out that Headley and Jayden had not gone overseas but if they had, it was not on their own passports.

He said no one knew what Headley had been telling Jayden but the youngster had been away from the environment he knew, his school and his friends.

"If you as a young child, are getting the same message drummed into you regardless of whether it is true or not, it is going to have some effect," said Mr Bubear.

"Yes, there is quite likely going to be some serious psychological problems people are going to have to deal with."

He said all Mr Jones wanted was to be reunited with his son and spend time with him.

Skelton, 35, was likely to stay in prison until she told authorities where Headley and Jayden were. An arrest warrant had also been issued for Headley and both he and his daughter had been charged with kidnapping.

The row came to a legal head in the High Court at Hamilton yesterday when the youngster's father Chris Jones took out writs of habeas corpus which gave him the backing of the court in his bid to have Jayden returned. Mr Jones has legal custody of Jayden.

Skelton was taken into custody yesterday and police said today she was likely to stay in jail until she gave police and the courts details they were convinced she had about her father and her son.

Another person whose name is suppressed has appealed against the writ and this will be heard in the Court of Appeal in Auckland today.

Habeas corpus is a legal step dating back to the 13th century that can be used by private individuals to release a person from unlawful detention.

- NZPA