Atlanta police rescued two young sisters from a windowless trailer in 97-degree heat after a woman posing as a babysitter allegedly kidnapped them—using the same tactics she employed to snatch a newborn five years earlier.

Dramatic Rescue in Sweltering Heat

Officers used bolt cutters to break into the trailer on Monday after hearing a baby crying inside the structure police described as unsuitable for human habitation. Norah Cooper, 11 months old and wearing only diapers, was carried out first, followed by her 4-year-old sister Zola. The girls had been missing since Saturday night when their mother, Elicia Redding, entrusted them to a woman she believed was a reliable caregiver from a mothers’ support group.

Police issued a Levi’s Call, Georgia’s version of an Amber Alert, after the suspect failed to return the children as promised. Instead, 42-year-old Lakesha Brown told the worried mother the girls had been in a car accident. A tip led authorities to an apartment complex where they found the children trapped in the windowless trailer during dangerously hot conditions.

Repeat Offender Used Same Social Media Scheme

Brown faces kidnapping charges and was denied bond after authorities revealed she used identical tactics in 2021 to abduct a 4-day-old newborn named Kamarion Taylor. In both cases, Brown infiltrated mothers’ groups on social media, presenting herself as part of a support system offering babysitting services. She befriended Redding over more than a year before allegedly taking her daughters. Atlanta Police Lieutenant Christapher Butler stated the mother believed she was leaving her children with someone trustworthy.

Brown remains awaiting trial for the 2021 kidnapping and has an outstanding warrant in Alabama for failure to appear in court. She waived her first court appearance on Tuesday. According to police, Brown admitted she should have returned the girls, though her motive for the alleged kidnapping remains unclear.

Pattern Raises Questions About Child Safety

The case highlights growing concerns about stranger danger in digital parenting communities. Brown successfully exploited online mothers’ groups twice over five years, gaining trust through extended online relationships before allegedly committing serious crimes. Police emphasized that by keeping the children in unsuitable conditions without proper authority or adequate care, Brown endangered their health, safety, and wellbeing. Both girls are now safe with their mother following the rescue operation.