Idaho Falls, Idaho – Prosecutors in Bonneville County have dismissed kidnapping charges against a 24-year-old college student who was accused of walking away with a Costco shopping cart containing a woman’s 4-week-old baby, after full surveillance footage contradicted the original account of what happened.
Michael Garrison Raine, a student at Brigham Young University–Idaho, was arrested in November and charged with second-degree kidnapping following an incident inside a Costco warehouse in Idaho Falls on November 20. The case drew public attention after cellphone video clips from inside the store circulated online, raising concerns about child safety in public places.
What Police Initially Alleged
According to the original police report, a woman shopping at Costco told officers that Raine had been “lingering” near her in the book aisle while her infant sat in a car seat inside a shopping cart. She said she briefly turned away while the cart was still within her reach. When she looked back, she claimed, the cart was gone.
Police stated that the woman then found her cart — with her baby still inside — in the next aisle with Raine. Based on that account and limited video footage, detectives arrested Raine and charged him with kidnapping.
Surveillance Footage Changes the Case
At a press conference held Thursday, Bonneville County Prosecutor Randy Neal and Idaho Falls Police Chief Bryce Johnson announced that the charges had been dismissed after investigators reviewed complete surveillance footage provided by Costco.
Neal said the full video told a very different story than the partial clip initially reviewed by police.
“Detectives did not see any kind of stalking behavior,” Neal said. “The full video does not match the narrative that was initially provided.”
Authorities explained that the initial cellphone video did not show Raine pushing his own empty shopping cart, which is clearly visible in the full surveillance footage. The video shows Raine walking down the aisle with his cart before mistakenly grabbing the wrong one.
Prosecutors Cite Inaccurate Recollection
As part of the investigation, detectives returned to Costco with the baby’s mother to recreate the sequence of events while watching the footage together. Neal said inconsistencies became clear almost immediately.
“It was clear, early on, that some of the things that the mother was remembering weren’t correct, according to the video,” Neal said. “Some of her memories were inaccurate.”
While acknowledging the situation was frightening for the mother, Neal emphasized that fear alone does not establish criminal intent.
Raine’s Explanation Matches Video Evidence
After being located by Idaho Falls Police detectives, Raine told officers that he mistakenly believed he was walking away with his own empty cart. He said he realized the mistake shortly afterward and returned to the woman to apologize.
“I was just so oblivious,” Raine told detectives, adding, “I really must have been completely out of it.”
Prosecutors said Raine’s statement was consistent with what investigators observed in the full surveillance footage.
“We have a fairly definitive narrative now,” Neal said. “It’s grainy, it’s not a perfect view. But it certainly seems inconsistent with an intent to take the baby and leave the area.”
Why the Charges Were Dropped
To support a kidnapping charge, prosecutors must prove intent — specifically, an intention to take or confine another person unlawfully. Neal said the evidence simply did not support that standard.
“There is no indication that Mr. Raine intended to take the child from the store or remove the child from the mother’s control,” Neal said.
As a result, the case was dismissed, and Raine will not face further prosecution related to the incident.
A Case With Lasting Impact
Authorities acknowledged that incidents involving infants naturally trigger intense emotional reactions and public concern. Chief Johnson said the department stands by its decision to investigate thoroughly but stressed the importance of reviewing all available evidence before reaching conclusions.
“This case underscores how critical full video context can be in investigations,” Johnson said.
Raine, who was publicly identified following his arrest, has not commented publicly since the charges were dropped.
Conclusion
What initially appeared to be a terrifying kidnapping attempt was ultimately determined to be a mistaken cart mix-up, supported by surveillance footage and investigative reconstruction. Prosecutors say the case serves as a reminder that early impressions — especially those formed from incomplete video clips — do not always reflect the full reality of what occurred.
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