Minnesota man to be sentenced after kidnapping son, triggering AMBER Alert, hours-long standoff
BRAINERD, Minn. — A Minnesota man who kidnapped his 2-year-old son last year, triggering an AMBER Alert and a standoff, will be sentenced on Thursday.
Scott Henrikson, 42, pleaded guilty in March to a felony count of depriving the custodial rights of a parent, a gross misdemeanor count of violating an order of protection and a misdemeanor count of obstructing the legal process.
According to the criminal complaint filed in Crow Wing County, Henrikson was a passenger in a vehicle with woman, who was driving, and their toddler in Baxter on July 29, 2023.
The woman, who has sole parental custody of the boy, told police Henrikson punched her in the stomach and then hit the boy's legs when he started to scream.
She then pulled over and got out to seek help before Henrikson got in the driver's seat and sped away with the boy, leading to an AMBER Alert.
Early the next morning, law enforcement was tipped off that Henrikson and his son were barricaded inside the garage of his Baxter home. Henrikson refused to release the boy and initiated an hours-long standoff.
The complaint states Henrikson, who had active arrest warrants out for him at the time, told authorities he was suicidal but wouldn't hurt his son. The county's tactical response team eventually forced its way into the garage after Henrikson's "behaviors were escalating" due to alleged drug use.
A team member accidentally discharged their rifle during the raid but no one was hurt. The boy was safely rescued and Henrikson was arrested.
Henrikson had a previous conviction for domestic assault in 2022. He will be sentenced on Thursday afternoon.
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Local Domestic Violence Resources
Women's Advocates
Crisis Line: (651) 227-8284
St. Paul & Ramsey County Domestic Abuse Intervention Project
Crisis Line: (651) 645-2824
Minnesota Day One
Crisis Line: 1-866-223-1111
Esperanza United
Bilingual crisis line: (651) 772-1611.
For anonymous, confidential help, people can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or 1-800-787-3224.
