A woman working as a DoorDash driver was inside a restaurant picking up an order when her car was stolen – with her 5-month-old twins inside. One twin was found abandoned, and cops are pleading for the return of the other.
Ohio police plead for car thief to return 5-month-old who was inside stolen car
On Monday, Wilhelmina Barnett, who works as a DoorDash driver had left her black 2010 Honda Accord running outside a pizzeria on High Street in Columbus, Ohio. She had her two 5-month-old twins inside the car while she went inside the restaurant to pick up an order.
When the mother came out, she discovered her car was stolen and her two twins along with it, boys Kason and Kyair Thomass.
One twin found – the other still missing, suspect captured on video surveillance
Around 4:15 a.m. Tuesday, Kyair was later found abandoned near the Dayton International Airport.
Restaurant employees later told police that a homeless woman had exited the restaurant after the mother of the twins had entered.
Later, at a nearby gas station, an individual was caught on camera asking an employee for money, WHDH reported.
The following day, police identified Nalah Jackson, 24, as a suspect in the theft and kidnapping. Police believe Jackson stole the Honda and she remained at large.
“Nalah Jackson, I plead to you, please return Kason Thomas,” Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant said during a news conference the day after the kidnapping. “We thank you for returning Kyair. You’ve already shown us you can do the right thing. You can return him [Kason] to any safe location.”
The next day, prosecutors charged Jackson, who had still not been captured, with two felony counts of kidnapping.
Update: Missing twin recovered after four days
On Thursday, missing baby Kason Thomass, the other twin kidnapped during a car theft, was found safe and alive in Indianapolis, just hours after the suspect in the case, Nalah Jackson, was taken into custody by authorities, according to a statement from Columbus police, CNN reported.
After police received several tips that Jackson was in the area, police found and arrested the suspect. However, Kason was not with her.
On the same day, Police later found the stolen Honda Accord, with Kason inside, wearing the same clothes as when the five-month-old was taken.
During the car theft, Jackson crossed state lines, which elevates the crime of kidnapping to federal charges and will prompt a federal investigation.
