I think in my opinion only that she is trying to spite her dad. If I remember correctly the kids were left at someone's house for days and her dad went and picked them up and said to Courtney she wasn't having them back. She managed to snatch one child but had to ring the police to get the other. There is police recordings dotting about somewhere from the incident. She is just being selfish and thinking about herself trying to get one over on her dad, instead of thinking about her other little girls feelings and well being. All my own random thoughts.x
I agree, IMO Cortney is selfish and very immature. You remember the October 3 incident correctly: on October 2 Cortney left the kids with her cousin overnight. On October 3, the cousin called Cortney's father after failing to reach Cortney or Chris to get the kids so he picked them up. Cortney then called the police who responded on a "custodial interference" call.
The 911 call from Cortney and the 911 call from her father, along with the police report is linked here:
https://www.covnews.com/news/crime/breaking-ncso-investigating-missing-baby/
In the call Cortney seemed to not understand that Caliyah was an infant. She told the 911 operator she didn't know why her dad took the kids because they know her cousin and play over at her house all the time.
Cortney's father also called 911. He said the cousin called him at 4:30 and told him she couldn't get in touch with Cortney or Chris. He still had Caliyah. His call was a little garbled and he sounded upset. He also said he believed Chris was on the run from the police but didn't give more information about that (this was before Caliyah went missing). He said he felt the problem (why Cortney called the police) was that he had taken his car back. He also said that in his mind they abandoned their kids.
So it sounds like Cortney was angry that her dad took his car back and that he took the kids, even though her cousin called him when she couldn't get hold of Cortney.
On the day Caliyah disappeared Cortney told the 911 operator that her daughter said "Papa" had her, apparently meaning Cortney's dad. Cortney said she called him and her grandparents and they didn't have Caliyah and that her dad was on his way to her house.
http://www.11alive.com/video/news/listen-911-call-from-mom-reports-2-week-old-missing/85-2756325
IMO Cortney has a hot/cold relationship with her dad. She seems to rely on him to help her out when she needs something and they do seem to be in contact regularly. But I don't think she likes it when in her mind he interferes - like taking the kids when her cousin couldn't reach her.