Lethbridge, Alta. — An Alberta alderwoman is to appear in a Montana court Tuesday to face a charge of lying to police about her disappearance in the United States earlier this month.
Darlene Heatherington's lawyer Dan Donovan has informed the Great Falls municipal court that his client will personally attend on Tuesday.
Ms. Heatherington disappeared May 3 while on a business trip with her council colleagues to the Montana city of 60,000, about 300 kilometres south of Lethbridge.
She reappeared three days later in a parking area at a Las Vegas hotel. She told police she was kidnapped and sexually abused by an Alberta man who offered her a drive to California.
A county court official said she later admitted she made up the story, although her husband has said he believes her and saw bruises on her body when she first returned home.
Ms. Heatherington, a mother of three, was charged with the misdemeanour offence of providing false information to police.
She has been offered a deal by the Great Falls prosecutor that would dismiss the charge if she receives psychiatric help, stays out of trouble for one year and pays court costs ranging from $100 to $500 (U.S.).
Ms. Heatherington has not commented on the case but her husband David said Thursday he and his wife need to further talk to Mr. Donovan about whether to accept the deal.
The City of Lethbridge was planning to run an ad in the Great Falls Tribune on Friday to apologize for any worry, cost and inconvenience to the city's officials and citizens. The planned ad also thanks all those who helped in the search for Ms. Heatherington, which cost Great Falls taxpayers almost $15,000.
Canadian Press
