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Suspect's mother charged

Kristen Herold

BUTLER TWP — Police have charged the mother of the suspect in the death of 4-year-old Bentley Thomas Miller with child endangerment and helping the suspect evade capture.

Kristen Herold, 43, of Wexford and formerly of Butler, was charged Friday morning with two counts of felony hindering apprehension or prosecution, one count of endangering the welfare of children and one count of recklessly endangering another person.

She was brought Friday, in restraints, to the district court at 121 Sunnyview Circle to be arraigned before District Judge Kevin P. O’Donnell.

She is being held on $200,000 bail. A preliminary hearing was scheduled for 1 p.m. Thursday in district court.

The charges against Herold stem from an incident Tuesday morning and also the events leading up to the arrest of her son Keith Jordan Lambing Wednesday late afternoon.

Police say Herold Tuesday morning picked up Bentley around 9:30 a.m. from the Super 8 motel on Route 8.

Bentley, who had severe injuries, was unresponsive and she pulled over at shopping plaza in the city and called 911.

Bentley had visible bleeding when she picked him up, though she was initially headed to the boy’s father’s house in the city, not the hospital, according to a police affidavit.

He was taken to Butler Memorial Hospital where he was declared dead. Authorities have ruled his death as a homicide.

Lambing and Herold were both arrested by Butler city police Wednesday afternoon after they were discovered hiding in a Walker Avenue house. He had been on the run for more than 24 hours after police had announced that he was a person of interest in the investigation.

Herold had been interviewed by police officers Tuesday and they allege that she provided false information about Lambing’s whereabouts. She allegedly told officers to check the Days Inn motel on Route 8 in the township, not the Super 8.

She also allegedly provided transportation to Lambing on Tuesday and Wednesday, during the time when he was wanted by police for questioning.

No charges had been filed against Lambing as of press time.

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