[link|http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/wire/sns-ap-brf-children-standoff1012oct12.story?coll=sns%2Dap%2Dnationworld%2Dheadlines|Judge Dismisses Charge Against Woman] - the URL will change.

By Associated Press

October 12, 2001, 3:57 PM EDT

SANDPOINT, Idaho -- [sic] judge has dismissed the last charge against JoAnn McGuckin, the mother whose six children held police at bay in a five-day armed standoff last spring.

McGuckin, 46, originally was arrested on a child neglect charge that was later reduced from a felony to a misdemeanor, and dismissed last month. Then on Thursday, a judge dismissed a vicious-dog charge, involving a neighbor who said she was attacked by a pack of animals at McGuckin's home just before the standoff.

McGuckin was arrested on the child-neglect charge because of filthy conditions at the family's cabin. When deputies tried to take the children into custody, the youngsters loosed the dogs on the officers and holed up in the house. The standoff ended with the children surrendering.

The children remain in state custody, with a foster family, and their mother is trying to regain custody.

It's impossible to know from afar, but it looks to me as if there was a bit too much zealousness in going after her.

Cheers,
Scott.