8-year-old girl safely removed from Taylor home; dad arrested

TAYLOR, Mich. (WJBK) - For about three hours Michigan State Police negotiated with Janna Lewis' father Michael Lewis Wednesday night in Taylor

He refused to hand over his 8-year-old daughter while inside a home on Kensington Street off Telegraph. Troopers eventually got inside, rescued the girl and arrested Lewis, 40. 

Janna is believed to be unharmed. She will be taken to the hospital to be checked out. 

It all started Wednesday morning when state police sent out an endangered missing alert about the girl, from Trenton who was believed to be with her father. Police were very concerned, she has cerebral palsy and is bound to a wheelchair. She has been without her medicine without a week after Lewis failed to follow a court order and return her to her grandmother in Trenton. 

Police say Lewis has partial custody but failed to follow a court order and return her to her paternal grandmother in Trenton. 

Michael Lewis' family says he refused to return the girl and would not allow police inside the Taylor home without a search warrant. It is possible Lewis could be charged with parental kidnapping but too early to know at this point.

"A lot of times in these custody issues there is a lot of stories going on that we need to weed through," said Lt. Michael Shaw, Michigan State Police. "And get the prosecutor the best information to find out if dad, mom or both committed a crime."

Michael Lewis' family said they were being advised by several attorneys not to return the girl and he was fighting for full custody.