Infant Found Alive: Kayden Powell Safe After Woman Faked Pregnancy, Kidnapped Him

Infant Kayden Powell was found alive more than 180 miles from his home after the baby’s aunt reportedly created a fake pregnancy back story and then snatched the newborn from his mother’s bedroom.

Powell was then just five days old when he went missing from his home in Wisconsin. On Friday the infant was found alive after being reportedly snatched by his aunt, 31-year-old Kristen Rose Smith, police said.

Police allege that Smith took the infant from his home in Wisconsin and transported him across state lines to Iowa, leading to federal kidnapping charges. She faces life in prison if convicted.

According to police, Kayden Powell attempted to cover her tracks after stealing the newborn. An affidavit shows that Smith was staying at a Beloit, Wisconsin, residence where the baby and baby’s parents were saying. She had planned on leaving at 2 am on Thursday to drive home to Denver, Colorado.

At 4:30 am, Kayden’s mother Brianna Marshall woke to find the baby boy missing from his bassinet and called police.

Police say Smith called Marshall’s grandmother just before 5 am while Beloit Police officers were at the home. Smith reportedly told an officer that Marshall and Marshall’s boyfriend planned to move to Denver along with the infant. She told officers that she had Kayden’s clothing in the car, but not Kayden.

Police in West Branch, Iowa, intercepted Smith and searched her car, finding baby clothing and a car seat, but Kayden Powell was not there.

While in custody, Smith granted police permission to search her phone and Facebook account, where they found evidence that she had faked a pregnancy and claimed to have given birth on February 5. Police also found a prosthetic pregnant belly inside the car.

After denying that she knew where Kayden Powel was, a West Branch police officer found the infant alive about 500 yards from the gas station where she first met police. Though cold, they said the kidnapped baby was in good shape.