Cop accuses state police of kidnapping

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (WTNH)-- A veteran Bridgeport police officer is on paid leave over a custody dispute.

In a letter to the Governor, he's accusing state police of kidnapping his 3-year-old grandson.

Custody cases are never clear cut, but in this case a police sergeant is accusing state police of kidnapping his grandson.

An internal investigation is now underway at the Bridgeport Police Department, after a Georgia mom claimed to the "Connecticut Post" that officers helped hide her son, and didn't enforce a custody order because the child's grandfather has been on the force for 29 years.

But an attorney for the toddler's father tells News 8 the family has been caring for the child .

"He's not hiding the child. That mother came here in June of 2011, with the father and with the child, and she left after two or three weeks, leaving the child here," said Josephine Miller, the father's attorney.

Last week, Connecticut State Troopers went to the grandfather's house, with a search warrant allowing them into Sergeant Johnny Devone's house.

The toddler wasn't there, but he was located elsewhere, removed and returned to his mother.

But now that grandfather, the sergeant, is writing to governors of both states, claiming the child was taken by force.

"Something has gone seriously wrong when the government assists in kidnapping a child," said Devone in his letter to the governor.

State police defended the action of removing the child, saying it was done in accordance with law, because the mother had two court orders from the state of Georgia, and also one from a judge here in Connecticut.

The child's father, John M Devone, appeared in Bridgeport court today, because it's possible he may be extradited to Georgia to face custodial interference charges.

His lawyer says he and the grandfather are upset the mother's allegations lead to the child being taken.

"Now they have been vilified for taking care, taking up the responsibility that was hers. We then filed for sole custody, and that is when this began to spiral out of control," said Miller.