Lisa Marchesoni
Posted: Monday, February 9, 2009 3:36 pm

Grandfather Marvin Maple, accused of kidnapping his grandchildren 20 years ago, is helped from the patrol car about 11 p.m. Friday by sheriff's Cpl. Scot Appleton. Maple is being held on $1 million bond at Rutherford County Adult Detention Center.

Maternal grandfather Marvin Maple, accused of kidnapping two grandchildren almost 20 years ago, visited with close family members during the weekend in jail while awaiting a court appearance Tuesday.

Maple, 73, was charged Wednesday with kidnapping grandchildren Christi and Bobby Baskin, ages 8 and 7, respectively, March 1, 1989. He and his now-deceased wife, Sandra, were accused of abducting the children of Mark and Debbie Baskin.

He was located last week in San Jose, Calif., after a newspaper story about the 20-year-old case. Two witnesses notified police who arrested him.

Sheriff’s Lt. Bill Sharp and Sgt. Dan Goodwin of the Cold Case Unit charged Maple and brought him Friday to Tennessee to face the kidnapping charge. Maple required the help of Cpl. Scot Appleton to get out of the patrol car before he shuffled into the jail booking area about 11 p.m. Friday.



Goodwin said Maple is being held on $1 million bond.

“Close family members were allowed to visit,” Goodwin said.

Maple is expected to attend General Sessions Court Tuesday.

In 1988, lawyer Karen Hornsby was appointed as attorney ad litem to represent Christi and Bobby during a Department of Human Services investigation concerning allegations of abuse. The Maples were awarded temporary custody May 5, 1988.

While awaiting a final hearing March 29, 1989, Hornsby reported in the arrest warrant she learned March 10 the Maples placed their home up for sale and left the state with the children.



Hornsby, “who has great concern for the children’s safety,” charged Maple with kidnapping the two children, the arrest warrant stated.

“Marvin L. Maple did unlawfully and feloniously take a child under the age of 16 with intent to detain or conceal such child from its guardian,” the arrest warrant stated.

Sheriff’s detectives searched for the couple and their grandchildren for 20 years, checking telephone records, talking to family members and distributing information through the National Missing and Exploited Children’s Network.

After learning of his arrest, the Baskins flew to San Jose where they hope to have a reunion with their adult children. During a Friday press conference, the parents told their children they never stopped loving them.