Babysitter Accused Of Kidnapping 11-Month-Old East Orange Boy
HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- A Chicago woman was charged Wednesday with kidnapping an 11-year-old boy from East Orange, New Jersey, prosecutors said.
Christiana Fitzpatrick, 20, was arrested Wednesday afternoon in Hempstead, Long Island and was charged with endangering the welfare of a child and interfering with custody, according to the Essex County Prosecutor's office.
Around 2:30 a.m. Wednesday, the mother of the boy returned to her East Orange home, where she had left her son with Fitzpatrick as a babysitter, prosecutors said. When she returned, both Fitzpatrick and the baby were gone, prosecutors said.
The boy's mother made several attempts to get a hold of Fitzpatrick and have her bring the baby back, prosecutors said. But Fitzpatrick refused, and the mother called police around 5:45 a.m., prosecutors said.
Fitzpatrick was found and arrested with help from East Orange Police, U.S. Marshals Fugitive Unit, New Jersey State Police, Nassau County Police and West Hempstead Police, prosecutors said.
The boy appeared to have been fine, but was taken to an area hospital for evaluation as a precaution, prosecutors said.
Bail for Fitzpatrick was set at $300,000. Late Wednesday, she was awaiting extradition back to New Jersey.