Mother charged in Matthew’s kidnap case
Karen Matthews, 32, of Moorside Road, Dewsbury Moor, faces charges of child neglect and perverting the course of justice.
Shannon vanished on 19 February while on a school swimming trip and was found 24 days later after one of the largest missing person hunt's West Yorkshire Police had ever conducted.
Ms Matthews is due to appear before Dewsbury magistrates court today.
She was arrested on Sunday night by a family liaison officer in response to a remark made while being transported in a police car.
Ms Matthews was in the car with two other female friends when the remark was made.
She is the fourth family member to be arrested in connection with the disappearance.
Michael Donovan, 39, of Lidgate Gardens, Batley Carr, is accused of abducting Shannon. The 39-year-old is the uncle of Craig Meehan, 22, Shannon’s stepfather.
Craig Meehan appeared at Dewsbury Magistrate’s Court charged with 11 counts of possessing indecent images of children
His sister, Amanda Hyett, 25, and his mother, Alice Meehan, 49, were both arrested in connection with the alleged abduction.
