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Suspect charged in Sawdust-area shooting, kidnapping

By: Bryan Shettig
| Published 04/17/2012

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THE WOODLANDS, Texas –– A woman has been arrested and is being held in connection with the shooting of a 28-year-old woman and subsequent kidnapping of her baby Tuesday afternoon near Sawdust Road and Interstate 45.

Baby found in home near FM 1960.


Verna Deann McClain, 30, is being held in Montgomery County jail on charges of capital murder. Her first court date was Wednesday.

McClain had suffered a recent miscarriage and set out to take another baby and convince her fiance that it was theirs, according to the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office.

Kala Marie Golden, 28, was leaving the Northwoods Pediatric Center in the 25000 block of Borough Park Dr., behind H-E-B, at about 3:40 p.m. and heading towards her red pickup truck with her son when McClain is alleged to have shot her and taken the baby, said Lt. Daniel Norris with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office.

McClain, a vocational nurse, was arrested after her vehicle was spotted at the Fawn Ridge Apartments off Sawdust and Sawmill roads while detectives were canvassing the area, said Lt. Norris on Wednesday.

A SWAT team went into the apartment where McClain was believed to live but neither she nor the baby were found. McClain showed up at the apartment later and told officers the baby was with her sister at a home near FM 1960.

Texas Rangers found the child, Keegan Schuchardt, at the house unharmed.

As Golden headed toward her truck Tuesday, parked next to her was a light blue-green or teal Lexus, Norris said. McClain allegedly got out of the car and possibly began arguing with Golden before pulling out a pistol and firing multiple times. Witnesses, such as local resident Tia Collins, said they heard up to seven gunshots and also saw a white man in the passenger seat.

McClain then allegedly went into the truck and got the child, according to Norris and witnesses, and put the baby in the Lexus. Golden tried to get the baby but was instead hit by the Lexus as McClain drove off and northbound on Borough Park Drive. Witnesses also said that the white man was possibly the one who grabbed the baby.

“He grabbed the baby, they shot the lady and took off,” said Collins, who saw the incident as she walked with four of her children to a nearby salon. The baby was in an infant car seat that was wrestled from the victim, she said.

Detectives said they believe McClain acted alone however and are not seeking a second suspect.

First-responders took Golden to The Woodlands Memorial Hermann Hospital where she was pronounced dead.

To view video from the scene, click here.

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