UPDATE!! Search For Kidnappers Of Florida Baby,Taraji: Baby And Possible Suspect Found
It would be a terrible feeling to be awakened late at night to your baby being snatched from your arms and taken from you by armed men, which is exactly what happened to a Fort Lauderdale woman. Friday evening around 11 pm, a 2-month old baby was abducted from her Florida home during a home invasion.
Joy Oglesby, a spokeswoman for Broward County Sheriff’s Office tells ABC News that the baby, Taraji Kemp, and her unidentified mother, as well as another child were all asleep in a room of their Fort Lauderdale home when intruders came inside and took the baby girl. Oglesby told NBC News that one of the kidnappers had a gun.
An amber alert was issued and a search of the area was conducted with dogs, however, the search was unsuccessful in finding baby Taraji.
Taraji was last wearing a pink onsie and described as being black. She also has a birthmark on her chest. Local 10 described Taraji as weighing approximately 14 pounds and is 22 inches long. Taraji’s mother believes that two men took Taraji and they drove away in a dark colored Nissan sedan.
UPDATE!
Taraji Kemp was found ALIVE in Orlando, more than 200 miles away from her home, WKMG-TV reports. Taraji was found after the statewide amber alert was posted and is now at a hospital pending positive identity, deputies say.
Police say they were searching for a woman who is believed to be responsible for the kidnapping, Stephanie Augustin, 23. Stephanie was located on Saturday in Fort Pierce and Local 10 described Augustin’s vehicle as a dark blue Nissan Altima with a license plate number of EHY Q79.
Stephanie is described as being black and is approximately 5 foot 7 inches tall with black hair. According to CBS Miami, Stephanie was not kept in custody and so far, no charges have been filed.
Oglesby did not say whether or not Taraji was found with Stephanie or how they located the baby girl. Sun Sentinel announced that the Orange County Sheriff’s Department is assisting and the condition of the baby has not been released.
Oglesby told Sun Sentinel that Taraji’s family and parents are being interviewed. There was a report of an upset woman leaving the scene in a Sheriff’s SUV early Saturday and later on that day, another woman was also teary eyed after speaking with deputies, although she declined to comment.
A neighbor, Ron Jackson, made a comment to the press. Jackson has lived in the same neighborhood at Taraji all of his life, close to the Swap Shop.
“The warning should have been the mama’s cry, the mama’s roar. If she had screamed for help, people would have come running.”
Anyone with further information on this is asked to please contact the Broward County Sheriff’s Office at 954-476-4731 or call 911. You can also report information to 888-FL MISSING. Broward Crime Stoppers are giving a $3,000 reward to anyone providing information leading to an arrest. You can provide tips to the Broward Crime Stoppers by calling 954-493-TIPS (8477).
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
This story is still developing so check back for further updates!
[Image via Shutterstock]
