KEY POINTS:
Jayden Headley has been placed back in the care of his father.
Early this evening the Family Court in Hamilton issued an interim order that he be returned to his father, Chris Jones, after being kidnapped for five months.
In a dramatic breakthrough in the kidnapping saga, Jayden
was handed over to Hamilton police today by his grandfather Dick Headley.
Jayden had been the centre of a bitter dispute, which saw his father Chris Jones gain custody some months ago.
But Jayden's mother, Kay Skelton has been in jail since October for contempt of court for refusing to disclose the whereabouts of her son, who was taken from outside the Hamilton Public Library in August by a friend of Skelton, Nikala Taylor.
Today Jayden's family were anxiously wondering what impact five months alone with his grandfather have had.
At a court hearing today, it was revealed by a High Court judge, Justice Heath, that Jayden appeared to be physically fine.
Justice Paul Heath said he had been told Jayden had had a medical examination this morning and that outwardly his condition seemed satisfactory.
Justice Heath said arrangements had been made for the clinical psychologist whom Jayden had seen before to speak to him before a Family Court hearing into what should happen to Jayden now.
In a day of fast moving developments:
- Jayden was handed to Hamilton police at 9.15am by his grandfather Dick Headley
- Charges of contempt of court have been dropped against Kay Skelton. She had been charged after refusing to say where Jayden was.
- She and her father have been charged with kidnapping and will appear in Hamilton District Court this afternoon.
- A Family Court hearing will be held this afternoon to see what should be done for Jayden in the next few days.
The dramatic developments came the day Kay Skelton was due to appear back in court over refusing to say where Jayden was being kept.
He has allegedly been looked after by Headley, who at one point released video footage of the boy, saying he would not return him until custody was given to Skelton.
The little boy had been the centre of a bitter custody dispute, after the Family Court awarded custody to his father, Chris Jones.
This morning in Hamilton District Court, Skelton came before Judge Robert Spear for a hearing.
Skelton was called in and entered the court room weeping. She looked disshevelled and distant, and held her hand on her forehead throughout the 30 minute hearing.
Only her aunty, Donna Payne, was in court to support her. Chris Jones's father was also in court.
At a hearing in the High Court later, Justice Heath purged the charge of contempt of court against Skelton and said she should be released.
Police had believed Headley was keeping his grandson in hiding somewhere in Northland, and along with Skelton, he was accused of kidnapping the boy.
Skelton lost a bid in the High Court in December to be released from jail after claiming she did not know where her son was.
Last year Headley, 68, was one of several people ordered to either produce Jayden or tell the court why they could not.
The others were Skelton's husband Brett, Jayden's grandmother Wendy Headley, great-grandmother Winifred Hart, and another woman whose name was suppressed.