Ammon Bundy, a right-wing activist and an independent candidate for Idaho governor, has been arrested for misdemeanor trespassing in Meridian on Saturday at 1.15 am local time. He was arrested by Meridian police on suspicion of trespassing and refusing to leave the property. Bundy was released later, according to the Ada County police jail records.
A statement released by the governor campaign for Bundy, 46, on Twitter said police arrested him in front of the St. Luke's Meridian Medical Center "for the crime of disagreeing with the hospital and CPS". He visited the hospital to support a family whose child was "medically kidnapped". Baby Cyrus from the Anderson family was "medically kidnapped" due to a missed non-emergency doctor's appointment.
A Statement by Meridian Police Department
The Meridian Police Department released a statement on Saturday morning about a referral they received from an Idaho Health and Welfare center about a baby admitted in the hospital on March 1. When the medical personnel examined the child, the baby suffered severe malnutrition. The child gained some weight after receiving treatment at the hospital. The baby was discharged on March 4.
When the child was brought back to the hospital for a follow-up appointment, the medical personnel noticed the baby had lost a significant amount of weight. The Meridian Police said the parents canceled the next follow-up appointment, and the medical team could not locate them. The police were advised that baby Cyrus' condition could lead to severe injury or even death if the child did not receive treatment on time.
Health and Welfare could not contact the child's father, who has supposed to bring the child for examination. When the Meridian Police tried to contact the parents and check on the child, the people did not allow the officers to enter the house. The officers returned with a warrant to find out that they left the house.
Later, Garden City Police located the family and managed to stop them on Chinden Boulevard traffic point. Meridian police arrived at the location and took custody of the child. The baby was sent to St. Luke's Hospital for treatment. Bundy and his followers arrived at the hospital and refused to leave the place, the police said.
In addition to Bundy, the Meridian Police arrested some of these supporters, including Wendy Kay Whitaker, 69, Miranda Chavoya, 23, and Marissa Anderson, 21. They were arrested for refusing to leave the place, interfering in Bundy's arrest, obstructing the scene, and suspicion of resisting arrest.
Who is Ammon Bundy?
The far-right Idaho Governor candidate is a car fleet manager born to Cliven Bundy and Jane Marie Brown Bundy in 2975. The right-wing activist and his family are known for their armed standoffs against federal authorities. One of his notable anti-government activities is the 2016 Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon that left an occupier dead.
Bundy has been arrested for trespassing several times. He was arrested from an auditorium at the Capitol in August 2020 when he refused to leave the property. Bundy was sentenced to 40 hours of community service after he was found guilty. It was his first misdemeanor trespassing offense.
On April 8, 2021, he was arrested at the Idaho State Capitol and charged with two counts of trespassing. A jury trial for this case is set to begin on Monday. He was also kicked out of a campaign for governor of Idaho when he was a Republican candidate. Bundy will not be subject to the upcoming May primary election because he is an independent candidate.
