Cape Coral woman pleads no contest to kidnapping niece, nephew

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CAPE CORAL, Fla. — A Cape Coral woman accused of abducting her niece and nephew received 70 months in jail and eight years of probation after pleading no contest to aggravated child neglect and seven other counts on Wednesday, authorities said.

Kristina Pantalias, 30, told the officer who arrested her in May 2015 that she just wanted to take the children out for a good time.

Police said Pantalias was just days out of jail and high on meth when she stole a car, broke into her sister’s apartment on the 2800 block of SE 15th Place in Cape Coral, and took the children, then ages 6 and 10.

She subsequently proceeded to the Hilton House Apartments off U.S. 41 in Fort Myers, where a dog that belonged to a friend of Pantalias attacked the 6-year-old girl, police said.

The girl is still receiving medical treatment for her injuries, the Cape Coral Police Department said.

Investigators said Pantalias hid drugs in one of the children’s pants pockets. Police found two baggies of heroin, two Methadone pills and Suboxone in tinfoil.

Pantalias has been in the Lee County Jail since her arrest shortly after the string of incidents. Heroin possession and two counts of possession of a controlled substance are among the charges to which Pantalias entered her plea.

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