Child Snatching Attempt Thwarted by Fireplace Poker-Wielding Youth

Two people who attempted to take a child from a family member’s home in St. Charles Friday were charged Saturday as accessories to a burglary. A third suspect was being treated for injuries at Mercy Medical Center in Creve Coeur.

A juvenile who attacked one intruder with a fireplace poker, according to a report, may have stopped the attempt.

Jennifer Temm, 34, of Oakville, Matthew Wakeman, 26, of Affton, were charged Saturday with accessory to burglary. Lt. David Senter of St. Charles Police said that other charges could be pending on the two, including assault and property damage.

Senter also said charges likely will be filed against Andrew R. Wilson once he is released from Mercy Medical Center. He had been admitted to the Intensive Care Unit on Friday, Senter said.

According to court documents, Temm asked Wilson and Wakeman to come with her to get her daughter from a relative’s home.

Temm is an active heroin user, the police report states. The relative had contacted the Missouri Division of Family Services about the child. The agency advised the relative to keep the child while an investigation could be completed, Senter said.

Wakeman drove Wilson and Temm to the relative’s home in the 400 block of Elmhurst in St. Charles. After knocking on the front door and receiving no answer, Wakeman and Wilson went around to the back door and forced it open. Temm waited in the car.

Wilson was confronted by a juvenile in the residence, who apparently hit him with a fireplace poker, St. Charles Police said in court documents.

Wakeman had gone upstairs to look for the child and saw Wilson struggling with the youth over the poker. Wakeman elbowed the youth in the face and assisted Wilson out of the residence because police had been called, the report states.

It was unclear if the child in question was in the home at the time.

The three were taken into custody Friday. Bond has been set at $75,000 each for Temm and Wakeman.