Nichols Woman Charged With Kidnapping in Amelia Lawrence Case

A Nichols woman has been charged in connection with the disappearance of 8-year-old Amelia E. Lawrence, who was found alive and well early Wednesday morning after an urgent community search.

The Tioga County Sheriff’s Office says its Criminal Investigation Division arrested 41-year-old Danielle N. James of Nichols on the morning of October 7. She is charged with second-degree kidnapping, a class B felony, and endangering the welfare of a child, a class A misdemeanor.

Amelia Lawrence Was Found Safe Early Wednesday

Amelia was reported missing after she was last seen walking on Lower Briggs Hollow Road in the Town of Nichols around 5:30 p.m. Monday, October 5. Her disappearance led to a major response from neighbors, first responders, and agencies from across the region.

Amelia was found alive and well early Wednesday morning, bringing relief to a community that had spent hours worried about her safety. The original missing-person alert for Amelia was widely shared as people throughout the Southern Tier watched and hoped for news that she would be found safely.

Danielle James Charged in Amelia Lawrence Kidnapping Case

According to the Tioga County Sheriff’s Office, James was arraigned in CAP Court before Justice John Schaffer. She was remanded to the Tioga County Jail in lieu of $500,000 cash bail or a $500,000 bond.

The sheriff’s office says James faces a charge of second-degree kidnapping, a class B felony, as well as endangering the welfare of a child, a class A misdemeanor, in connection with the investigation into Amelia’s disappearance.

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Tioga County Investigation Into Amelia Lawrence’s Disappearance Continues

The sheriff’s office says the investigation is still ongoing and has not released additional details about the circumstances surrounding Amelia’s disappearance or where she was found.

The charges against James are accusations. She is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court. If any information in this story changes, including if charges are reduced, dismissed, or dropped, please email us so that we can update this article.