Idaho gubernatorial candidate Ammon Bundy was arrested on Saturday for refusing to leave a hospital.
Bundy was apparently protesting a 10-month-old baby that had been taken to the hospital by the Meridian Police after they received a Health and Welfare referral reference.
The Meridian Police said in a statement that the baby was “suffering from severe malnourishment.”
“While under medical care the child was able to gain enough weight and child was discharged in the care of its parents on Friday March 4, 2022,” the police department’s statement continued. “During a follow up appointment earlier, this week it was determined the child had again lost a significant amount of weight and when the parents canceled the next follow-up appointment and could not be located, the Meridian Police were contacted and advised this child’s condition could lead to severe injury or even death if not treated.”
The father of the child reportedly agreed to take the baby in for an examination but did not show up.
When police attempted to go check on the baby, the department says that the parents were uncooperative and would not let officers check on the welfare.
“Meridian Police then received a warrant to enter the home, but discovered the parents and the child had left, before officers could check on the child. Garden City Police then located a vehicle driven by the father of the child and they conducted a traffic stop. The Meridian Police took the child into custody in the 3700 block of Chinden Blvd., Garden City, Idaho and the child was taken to St. Luke’s Meridian for medical care,” the statement continued.
The department says that while the baby was at the hospital receiving medical care, Bundy and some of his followers showed up.
“Ammon BUNDY and several of his followers showed up to St. Luke’s Meridian and refused to leave the property when asked to do so. After several attempts to get BUNDY to leave the property and his continual refusal to do so, the Meridian Police Department arrested BUNDY for trespassing,” the department statement said. “Also arrested with BUNDY was sixty-nine (69) year old Wendy Kay WHITAKER, who attempted to interfere in BUNDY’s arrest and also refused to leave St. Luke’s property. Twenty-three (23) year old Miranda CHAVOYA and twenty-one (21) year old Marissa ANDERSON were arrested for Resisting or Obstructing at the scene of the traffic stop and booked into the Ada County Jail for one (1) count each of misdemeanor Resisting or Obstructing Officers.”
In a statement posted to Twitter, Bundy said that he was arrested “for the crime of disagreeing with the hospital and [Child Protective Services].”
Bundy asserted that the police taking the child was a case of medical tyranny and interfering in parental rights.
The family maintains that the mother had simply missed a non-emergency doctor’s appointment.
Bundy was booked into the Ada County Jail on one count of misdemeanor Trespassing.
Bundy is perhaps most infamous for the 2014 armed confrontation between supporters of his father, cattle rancher Cliven Bundy, and law enforcement over a land dispute. He also made headlines in 2016 for the standoff at an Oregon wildlife refuge.
In 2021, Bundy’s supporters stormed a hospital to support a woman who says that her mother was the victim of “medical kidnapping.” They were ultimately victorious and the woman was released.
Bundy was banned from entering the Idaho Capitol for a year following two arrests, according to the Idaho Statesman.
Bundy refused to wear a mask to his son’s high school football game in 2020, prompting officials to end it at half time.
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