A misguided mother who hid a child away in her home in the belief the girl was being abused has avoided jail for the unusual incidents.
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Rebecca Bruce was charged with child stealing after allowing the girl to stay at her Hibbett Crescent house despite a court order banning Bruce from contacting her.
The victim's mother had expressly stated that she didn't want the girl going to Bruce's home.
The Wodonga Magistrates Court recently heard the victim had run out of her own house, into a waiting car, which led to police being called.
Police attended Bruce's Wodonga house on multiple occasions on April 6 and 7 last year in a bid to find the girl but were unable to do so.
The officers informed Bruce that they were conducting a missing person investigation and urged her to let them know if the girl was found.
IN OTHER NEWS:
"She informed them that she would assist police and call them if she became aware of the victim's location," the court heard.
A personal safety notice was put in place, which prevented Bruce from enticing the girl to her home, and stopping her from moving her to another state.
She was banned from contacting the girl.
Despite this, Bruce did try to make contact by calling her home on April 23 last year.
The girl was found by a person in the rear of his Wodonga home later that day, and was found to have a map and Bruce's phone number.
She said she had been into Bruce's home.
Bruce was interviewed on April 29 and couldn't explain why she had breached the order.
The Wodonga court heard she had relied on information given to her by the victim, and had believed she was "liberating a child from abuse".
She said she was unaware it was an offence and had believed she was helping the child get away from her abusive parents.
Bruce has since moved to Shepparton, but was still being contacted by the victim as recently as June 4.
Magistrate Ian Watkins said the offence of child stealing was extremely serious.
"(It) normally carries a term of imprisonment," he said, but noted she had believed she was doing the right thing.
"You just did it the wrong way and you did the wrong thing," he told her.
"You should have gone to child protection.
"That's what they're there for.
"You should have gone to the police.
"That's what they're there for.
"It's a matter you could have easily gone to prison for."
He ordered Bruce complete an 18-month community corrections order.
