Atlanta police officers rescued two sisters, aged four and 11 months, from a locked trailer on Monday afternoon after a nearly two-day search, ending a kidnapping investigation that began Saturday evening.
Officers used a concrete block and pliers to force entry into the trailer at a southwest Atlanta apartment complex, where they found the children hidden under a blanket alongside Lakesha Brown, 42, the woman accused of kidnapping them. Bodycam footage released Tuesday shows officers ordering Brown to raise her hands before removing the children, who were crying and visibly distressed. One officer reassured the 4-year-old, saying, “You’re alright.”
The trailer was described by investigators as unclean and unsuitable for children, with no air conditioning despite temperatures reaching 97 degrees. Brown was arrested and charged with two counts of kidnapping and two counts of first-degree cruelty to children, according to court records. Police also noted an active arrest warrant for Brown in Alabama, related to a separate child kidnapping case involving a newborn in 2021.
Mother recounts trust broken
The children’s mother, Elicia Redding, told reporters she had known Brown for nearly a year after meeting her through a Facebook group for expectant mothers. Redding said she trusted Brown to care for her daughters, Zola Cooper (4) and Norah Cooper (11 months), for a day. Brown allegedly took the girls on Saturday evening under the pretense of a trip to Walmart and a candy store, but later stopped responding to Redding’s calls. Redding reported the children missing after Brown failed to return them as agreed.
According to an arrest warrant, Brown initially told Redding that the children were with the Georgia Division of Family & Children Services (DFCS) after a fabricated car accident. Police later located Brown after her cellphone pinged in the Sylvan Road area, about five miles from where the girls were last seen. The warrant states Brown admitted she should have returned the children when asked but did not provide a logical reason for keeping them.
Trailer conditions and immediate response
Officers responding to the scene heard the cries of the 11-month-old inside the trailer before breaking in. The trailer was described as cluttered, with chipboard lining the walls and no ventilation beyond an overhead system. Despite the extreme heat, police stated the children were reunited with their mother in good health following the rescue.
Brown remains held without bond in the Fulton County Jail. The case has prompted discussions about child safety and the vetting of caregivers, though no official policy changes have been announced as of this report.