AMHERST, NY – A father was charged after he arrived for a supervised visit with his 4-year-old child at the Erie County Department of Social Services. Upon receiving the child, Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn said 21-year-old Shaland S. Souverain, also known as Souverain Shaland, of Amherst, took the child and ran out of the building.
According to D.A. Flynn, on Thursday, at approximately 11:01 a.m., Souverain was scheduled for a supervised visit at the Erie County Department of Social Services office on Union Road in the Town of Cheektowaga when he abducted his own 4-year-old child.
“A Child Protective Services employee allegedly chased after the defendant as he ran to his vehicle in the parking lot. The defendant is accused of shoving the CPS employee into a parked vehicle as he entered his own vehicle with the child. It is further alleged that the defendant hit the CPS employee with his vehicle as he fled the scene,” Flynn said. “The employee was taken to ECMC to be treated for injuries and released.”
The District Attorney’s Office said Souverain was located at his apartment in the Town of Amherst. He was taken into custody without incident after a several-hour standoff with law enforcement.
“The child was found uninjured and returned to the custody of Erie County Child Protective Services,” Flynn added.
Souverain is scheduled to return on Tuesday, March 15, 2022 at 9:30 a.m. He was held without bail. If convicted of all charges, Souverain faces a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison.