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Margaret Smith Case: Five Delaware teens charged in kidnapping, carjacking of elderly woman

Margaret Smith was locked in the trunk of her car for almost two days before being dumped at a Delaware cemetery, where she was found on March 20, 2013 AP Photo/Delaware State Police

(CBS/AP) DOVER, Del. - Five Delaware teenagers were charged in carjacking and kidnapping an 89-year-old woman and locking her in the trunk of her car for almost two days, police said Thursday.

Police said Margaret Smith was found Wednesday morning at a cemetery east of Seaford where she was dumped after being locked in the trunk of her car. She was taken to Nanticoke Memorial Hospital where she was treated and released.

Troopers spotted Smith's car Wednesday evening being driven in Bridgeville where they took the teenagers into custody after running a license check and learning that the car was stolen.

Two girls, ages 14 and 15, were detained on $122,000 cash bonds after being charged with robbery, carjacking, kidnapping and conspiracy. Two boys, both age 17, were being held on $27,000 secured bond after being charged with kidnapping, conspiracy and receiving stolen property. A 15-year-old girl who was a passenger in the stolen car, which was being driven by the 14-year-old, was charged with receiving stolen property and conspiracy and was being held on $2,000 secured bond.

Authorities issued a Gold Alert for Smith after relatives reported her missing Tuesday night. She was last seen getting into her car around 11 a.m. that day.

Investigators said Smith's ordeal began after two girls approached her at the Chicken Man convenience store in Milford and asked for a ride to the Lincoln area.

Smith agreed to give the girls a ride, but when they arrived at a residence, they demanded her car keys, and then forced her into the trunk of the car before driving off. They later took more than $500 from her coat pocket.

At some point, the two girls picked up the 17-year-old boys and showed them that Smith was in the trunk.

After spending almost two days trapped in the trunk, Smith was dropped off at the cemetery where she was later found by police.

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