A Kewanee man was arrested after refusing to follow orders from Kewanee Police Officers during a traffic stop for a complaint that he had abducted his 3-year-old biological child on January 29, 2023. Bradley Kelly, 33, had no legal rights established to the child and reportedly has only seen the child a few times since her birth. A family member of the child called Kewanee Police to report he followed Bradley Kelly from where the child was taken and that they were headed to Kewanee. Around 11:30 PM, Kewanee Police Officers made a traffic stop on Kelly’s vehicle as it entered Kewanee city limits. Kelly would not follow Officer’s orders during the traffic stop and was arrested. Officers located the child in the backseat of the car unbuckled in a car seat without a coat, socks or shoes. The child was seen by emergency medical personnel and released to her mother.
Bradley Kelly was processed at the Kewanee Police Department and later transported to the Henry County Jail. Kelly is charged with Child Abduction (Class 4 Felony), Endangering the Life or Health of a Child (Class A Misdemeanor), and Resisting a Peace Officer (Class A Misdemeanor). Kelly remains in custody on a $10,000 (10%) bond. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for February 6, 2023 at 1 PM.
