A babysitter is facing charges after Atlanta police say she abducted two Black sisters, and it’s apparently not the first time she’s been accused of kidnapping.
Atlanta police arrested Lakesha Brown on the morning of Aug. 17. She is accused of kidnapping 4-year-old Zola Cooper and her 11-month-old sister, Norah.
Brown met the girls’ mother, Elica Redding, about a year ago in a mom group. After gaining her trust over time, she was eventually allowed to care for the children.
“The mother thought she was leaving her children in the care that she could trust,” Lt. Christapher Butler said as he recounted how Redding had left them with Brown on the evening of Saturday, Aug. 15.
Family members told FOX 5 Atlanta that the next day, around 6 p.m., Brown texted Redding saying she was taking the girls to Walmart.
When the children did not come home, Redding called hospitals after Brown claimed they were in a car accident, the outlet reported. Hospital staff had no record of them, prompting a 911 call at 10:30 p.m.
An Amber Alert was issued early Monday morning.
A few hours later, the sisters were found inside a trailer on Sylvan Road.
Authorities credited community members for telling officers where they believed Brown could be hiding.
“While [investigators] were in the area, they heard sounds of a baby crying,” Butler said. “Based on that, they executed entry into a trailer and were able to locate the children and the suspect.”
A Repeated Cycle
During the investigation, authorities learned Brown had been involved in another kidnapping case in 2021.
According to Jefferson County, Alabama, deputies, she kidnapped 4-day-old Kamarion Taylor while his mother slept.
When the mother contacted Brown, she told her that the baby was in his playpen where she laid him before she left the home.
Family members told investigators Brown began posting pictures of a baby that looked like Kamarion. They also advised deputies of past social media posts by Brown that claimed that she recently gave birth to twin boys.
Deputies quickly located Lakesha, but the newborn was nowhere to be found. Brown denied involvement in his abduction.
Investigators soon received a tip that led them to a home in Lipscomb. When officers arrived, several adults who were “extremely cooperative” led them to the child.
Kamarion was healthy and under no duress. He was taken home to be reunited with his mother.
Brown was charged with first-degree kidnapping. Her bond was set at $100,000.
“Our coordination with Alabama, they were very forthcoming, and it helped us bring this to a close,” Butler said.
Brown has an outstanding warrant for failure to appear related to the Alabama case. It’s unclear if she will be extradited.
“This is a mother who was looking for just a night away,” Butler said. “[She] trusted somebody she met online. Depend on family. Make sure you really know a person before you trust them with your children.”
The motive behind both cases remains unclear. Police have yet to announce what charges Brown will face in the Atlanta case.
