A wheelchair-bound man scheduled to testify in a criminal matter was allegedly held against his will by the mother of the man on trial, in order to force him to recant his testimony.
Grace Ingrid Heidemann, 39, is now in custody facing charges of forcible confinement, and her suspected accomplice, 28-year-old Edward Thomas Harris, is also in custody after allegedly threatening the unnamed witness.
The alleged victim and the suspects are known to each other, according to police.
Heidemann's son, 22-year-old Eric Heidemann, is awaiting trial on an undisclosed matter and may not even be aware of the alleged threats against the man in the wheelchair, said police.
Police received information on Friday that the wheelchair-bound man was being held against his will. They were led to a residence in the 7300 block of Thompson Drive, and discovered what they believe to be a crime scene.
"We located an adult female and the victim, who is confined to a wheelchair due to a medical condition," said Prince George RCMP spokesman Cpl. Craig Douglass. "The victim was unharmed.
"Further investigation led police officers to believe that Edward Thomas Harris, 28, had threatened the victim to convince him to recant a statement that he provided to police on a previous file where Eric Heidemann is the accused," Douglass said.
"Harris was associated with the Heidemanns and we allege he was acting with Mrs. Heidemann."
Both Grace Heidemann and Harris are scheduled to appear in court Tuesday on suspicion of forcible confinement, kidnapping, intimidation of a justice system participant and uttering threats.
Anyone with information about this or any other criminal offence, please contact the Prince George RCMP at (250)561-3300 or anonymously contact Crime Stoppers at 1(800)222-TIPS (8477), online at www.pgcrimestoppers.bc.ca, or Text-A-Tip to CRIMES using keyword "pgtips".
