A former caretaker has been arrested for kidnapping in Kentucky after police accused her of taking an elderly woman nearly 100 miles from her home without telling anyone. Rita Lang, who once cared for Gail Crane, was arrested on Tuesday, February 17, and taken into custody after a brief police chase. Crane, who has Alzheimer's disease, is 83. Friends called the police on Tuesday after discovering that she was not home. Crane, they told police, has not driven in many years and rarely, if ever, leaves her home. Officers soon after learned that Lang, 59, had been Crane's former caretaker up until the day before, and named her as a person of interest. They called Lang, who denied Crane was with her, according to police. In time, her car was tracked to Frankfort, where Lang eventually pulled over following a short police pursuit. Crane was found inside the vehicle with minor injuries, according to WLWT. Debra Newton's Arrest Caught on Bodycam 40 Years After Daughter's Abduction Lang, according to investigators, had been dismissed from her caretaker position on Monday, February 16. Cops said that they are not sure why Lang drove for three hours with Crane in her car, or what she may have been planning to do with Crane. People who know Lang spoke to WLWT and said this is not like her. Terri Srinivasan, who once employed Lang to care for her mother-in-law, said the criminal charges do not make any sense. "I was shocked. I said, 'That can't be right. There's just got to be something more to the story,'" Srinivasan said. "I can only speak from my experience: Rita was very responsible. Rita was a strong advocate for my mother-in-law. She was willing to learn whatever she wanted to learn to take care of her." Carmilla Schiltz, who says she's known Lang for more than 20 years, also came to Lang's defense during an interview with the station. "Rita has always, always, always thought of other people first. She's funny, she's friendly, she's happy all the time," Schiltz said to WLWT. Nursing Home Employee Stole Over $300,000 From Residents, Ohio Cops Say "She would never have put any patient of hers in jeopardy or in harm's way," Srinivasan insisted. "I can't even imagine that that would have been a thought ever for her." Investigators said that they will continue to investigate the allegations against Lang and are eager to speak with anyone who may have additional information about the alleged abduction. For more information, call (606) 564-3309. Crane is now back home after a brief trip to the hospital and cops said she is recovering from her ordeal. Lang is charged with kidnapping, with additional charges being mulled, according to the Mason County Sheriff's Office. In Frankfurt, she is charged with fleeing, wanton endangerment and traffic offenses Plea and lawyer information was unavailable for Lang, who remains in custody. If you are experiencing elder abuse or suspect someone you know is, you can call the Eldercare Locator at (800) 677-1116 and speak to a specially trained operator who can refer you to a local agency that can help. The Eldercare Locator accepts calls Monday through Friday, between 9 a.m. and 8 p.m. Eastern Time.