A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for the suspect in a kidnapping case that led to an Amber Alert in Columbia in December 2025, according to court documents.
Joy Ariel Smith, 24, was charged with two counts of second-degree kidnapping and one count of first-degree tampering with a motor vehicle, according to court documents.
The preliminary hearing for Smith has been set for Jan. 27 at 9 a.m. in the Boone County Courthouse, according to court documents.
On Dec. 18, 2025, Smith allegedly stole a vehicle with two children in it as the children's mother gave Smith a ride to someone else's house, according to court documents.
The vehicle was allegedly stolen by Smith after the mother parked and got out, according to court documents.
Missouri State Highway Patrol located the vehicle on Interstate 70 in Lafayette County and was able to stop it and retrieve the children, according to court documents.
The Highway Patrol posted a video on Facebook in December 2025 showing the arrest and reunification of the children with their mother.