Mason City woman pleads not guilty to kidnapping

MASON CITY — A Mason City woman charged with kidnapping has pleaded not guilty.

A criminal complaint states that 34-year-old Leah Osegera on the afternoon of January 13th waited for a child she did not have custody of at a bus stop in southeastern Mason City. When the child walked to an apartment building, Osegera allegedly picked the child up and tried running down the street. The complaint states that Osegera knowingly did not have custody of the child as DHS has removed the child from her custody and placed her in the home of a relative.

Osegera was stopped by a deputy in the parking lot of HyVee East until an officer arrived, who removed the child from a vehicle until DHS was able to arrive and show the paperwork for custody removal. Osegera allegedly also made several threatening comments to the relative during the kidnapping attempt.

Osegera was charged with third-degree kidnapping, a Class C felony punishable by up to ten years in prison. She was scheduled to be in Cerro Gordo County District Court on Monday for her arraignment hearing but filed a written plea of not guilty. Her trial is scheduled for May 20th.