(DETROIT) — Three people have been charged in the kidnapping of 14-day-old Michigan newborn twins from their mother’s hotel room earlier this week.
Curtis Lee Slay, 18; Davion Demetrius Sherman Chandler, 19; and Shantell Re-Azia Jones, 23, are each being charged with two counts of kidnapping, two counts of unlawful imprisonment, one count of conspiracy to commit kidnapping and three counts of larceny in a building, according to the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office.
The defendants allegedly kidnapped the children when their mother left her hotel room briefly.
“It is alleged that Ms. Jones befriended the mother of the twins all the while intending to steal them from their mother,” the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office said in a statement.
Jones allegedly did this with help from Slay and Chandler, according to the prosecutor’s office.
A case against a fourth juvenile is currently under review and the prosecutor’s office said it would announce next week whether charges will be brought against them. On Wednesday, police announced four people were arrested in connection with the kidnapping of the newborns.
The twins — identified by police as Montana and Matthew Bridges — were safely returned on Tuesday, according to Detroit police.
The twins were the subject of an Amber Alert on Aug. 21 and the case will be submitted to the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office.
The babies were dropped off at a precinct and then taken to the hospital to be evaluated.
“They are in good condition,” Detroit Police Chief James White said during a press conference Tuesday.
A mother reported her 14-day-old children missing from a Quality Inn hotel in Livonia, Michigan, on Monday night, according to Livonia Police Capt. Gregory Yon.
“The lady left them with two friends and when she came back they were gone,” Yon said.
Police did not reveal why the children were abducted, but said they were stable and did not have any obvious injuries.
“They were safely brought inside the precinct, made contact with an officer at the desk,” White said. “The entire precinct was on high alert.”
“To see them walk in with the two babies, we were all very happy,” White said.
The investigation into the incident is still ongoing.
“It is hard to imagine a worse scenario for a new mother. The evidence in this case will show that these defendants engaged in a scheme to dupe the mother of these barely two-week-old babies. They allegedly promised her some much-needed assistance to gain access to her children with the express intent on stealing them,” said Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said in a statement Thursday.
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