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Shelley Osterloh ReportingTwo months ago a Utah County woman was allegedly kidnapped by her parents so she wouldn't marry. Today, she and her new husband talked with Matt Lauer of the Today Show. The young couple are both students at BYU. They are now married and expecting a baby.
At time most families are coming together, her parents are facing the possibility of 15 years in prison, for allegedly kidnapping her the day before her wedding.
Julianna Redd and Perry Myers were college sweethearts who spent months planning their wedding. The day before the wedding, Julianna says her parents picked her up at her Provo apartment to go shopping, but instead took her 300 miles away to stop her from getting married. She said she knew her parents were against the wedding, but was not suspicious.
Julianna Myers: "I actually wasn't. I was on cloud nine. I thought we were going to finish getting me ready to get married."
When Julianna didn't show up for a pre wedding dinner, Perry called police.
Perry Myers: "I had suspected the parents, honestly, right off the bat."
Matt Lauer: "Suspected they may have gone as far as kidnapping her?"
Perry Myers: "Yes I did. I even contacted her sisters and said that exact thing."
The Utah County prosecutor has charged Julianna's parents, Julia and Lemuel Redd, with second degree felony kidnapping. Their Attorney says there is no basis for the kidnapping charge because she was not forced to do anything; but Julianna says, at a stop in Salina Utah, they forced her back into the car.
Julianna Myers: "Grab my wrists, pull my hair, put me up against the wall put me up against the car. It was very physical."
By the time they reached a hotel in Grand Junction, Colorado she says she had convinced her parents she would leave Perry if they would drive her back to Utah. They married several days later.
That was two months ago. Now, they are expecting a child. Juliana says she wants her parents to be part of their lives if they can work things out, but in the mean time, the kidnapping case against her parents continues.
Julianna Myers: "It's very upsetting, my whole family is falling apart, there's divisions within my sisters. It's very sad. I'm sad this has had to happen. If I could talk to them, I want them to know I love them, I care about my family very much and I want things to get healed, but I think it has to be someone beyond just our family trying to work things out. That's why I'm glad things are moving forward. "
The Redds are scheduled to appear in court October 26th to face felony kidnapping charges. If convicted they could face 15 years in prison.
