Mother arrested in child abduction

A Carson City mother was in custody Tuesday on suspicion of kidnapping her 3-year-old daughter.

Laura Nichols, 34, of Carson City, was booked into the Carson City Jail at 9:59 p.m. Monday on suspicion of kidnapping and violating a custody order. Her bail is set at $20,000.

According to court documents, Nichols' ex-husband, Stuart Nichols, was given full custody of the couple's daughter in June. An earlier charge of kidnapping filed against Nichols when she took the girl once before was reduced to trespassing and she was placed on probation.

On March 16, she kidnapped the girl for a second time and was allegedly given shelter in Reno by Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center's Behavioral Health Services where she was seeking treatment for depression.

"BHS refused to disclose the whereabouts of mother and (daughter) to law enforcement officials," Stuart Nichols' attorney wrote in a motion filed in Douglas County District Court on Friday. "BHS seemed sympathetic, but cited federal regulations about disclosure. It appears BHS will disclose (the girl's) whereabouts upon receipt of a court order."

Carson City Sheriff's Detective Dena Lacy said she was in the process of obtaining a court order when she received a tip Nichols was staying with a friend in Gardnerville. She was arrested without incident and the child was returned to her father.