Babysitter Accused of Kidnapping Two Sisters Previously Charged in Newborn Abduction

A Georgia babysitter is in custody after authorities say she abducted two little sisters she had been trusted to watch. The children, identified as 4-year-old Zola Cooper and 11-month-old Norah Cooper, were allegedly taken by Lakesha Brown.

The City of Atlanta Police Department said Monday that the girls, who had been described as possibly being in “extreme danger,” were found safe and recovered by officers.

According to police, Brown had earned the confidence of the girls’ mother and agreed to care for them while the mother went to dinner on Saturday night. When the mother returned and could not reach Brown, she contacted authorities within minutes.

Police said the mother reported Zola and Norah missing at about 10:30 p.m. Saturday, roughly four and a half hours after leaving them with Brown around 6 p.m.

By Monday afternoon, Atlanta police said technology helped investigators narrow the search to the Sylvan Road area. When officers arrived, they heard children crying, located the girls and safely removed them from the scene.

Authorities also said Brown had been linked to a prior kidnapping allegation in Alabama.

Alabama investigators said Brown was arrested in August 2021 in connection with the kidnapping of Kamarion Taylor, an infant who was only four days old at the time.

Brown allegedly gained the trust of Taylor’s mother and grandmother and kidnapped the infant while his mother was taking a nap.

“When Kamarion’s mother awoke, the baby was nowhere to be found. Lakesha was also gone. The mother immediately contacted Lakesha and asked where Kamarion was. Lakesha told her that Kamarion was there in his playpen where she laid him before she left,” the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office said.

Investigators safely recovered Kamarion and Brown was booked into jail.