Grand Island kidnapping suspect asks for case to be transferred to juvenile court

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (KSNB) - One of the suspects in the January kidnapping of three small children has asked that this case be transferred to juvenile court.

Jozef McAllister, 17, Hastings, is charged in Hall County District Court with nine felonies related to the incident that put three small children in danger. Court records show those charges are three counts of kidnapping, three counts of child abuse, theft by unlawful taking, theft by receiving stolen property, and operation of motor vehicle to avoid arrest (willfully reckless). McAllister also faces a misdemeanor charge of obstructing a peace officer.

McAllister and Tate Wolfe, 18, Kearney, were arrested Jan. 29 for stealing a car containing three Grand Island children age 5, 1, and seven months old. The two older children were discovered later that morning in an abandoned pickup. The seven month old was found about two-and-half hours later on the deck of a farm house in rural Hall County. The temperature at the time was 0°F with a -19° wind chill.

McAllister waived a probable cause hearing Feb. 14 and his case was transferred to Hall County District Court for possible trial. On Tuesday, McAllister’s attorney asked district judge Andrew Butler to transfer the case to juvenile court. A ruling on that motion is pending.

Wolfe, who faces the same charges as McAllister, was scheduled for a probable cause hearing Tuesday afternoon in Hall County Court.

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