Sheriff: Baby Girl Kidnapped From Palmdale Motel Abducted By Mother's Pimp
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — A 13-month-old girl kidnapped from a Motel 6 in Palmdale Saturday was abducted by her mother's pimp, who was arrested with an accomplice, sheriff's officials said Monday.
The child was found hours after her abduction, suffering from exposure in a shed in another part of the city, and the man suspected of assaulting the woman was taken into custody nearby, along with a teen accomplice, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.
An Amber Alert that was initiated by authorities when the abduction was reported was based on false information provided by the woman, and the alert was canceled, authorities said.
The investigation led deputies to a vehicle, and they arrested its occupants – 35-year-old Brandon Wynn and a teenage boy – Saturday afternoon near the intersection of East Avenue T-8 and 40th Street East.
Investigators say the girl's mother was beaten, raped and left in the desert near Lake Los Angeles in the early morning after a dispute over drugs and money.
"She was naked. She ran to their house, apparently ran anywhere from one mile to three or four miles out in the desert and the first house she came to, she knocked on their door and sought help," sheriff's Sgt. Steve Owen said.
The 40-year-old woman initially lied to deputies about who attacked her and took her baby because of what experts call a trauma bond with her pimp.
"That victim is manipulated via every aspect of their life -- money, contact with people, emotional stability," sheriff's Capt. Merrill Landenheim said.
Deputies found the baby a few blocks away in a shed, where she was alone in a child seat. She had been left unattended for an undetermined length of time, sheriff's officials said.
Paramedics took the baby to a hospital for evaluation and treatment. The child showed symptoms of exposure, but appeared to be otherwise unharmed.
Wynn and the teen were arrested and booked on suspicion of attempted murder. At a news conference Monday, sheriff's officials said additional charges are anticipated against the suspects, including human trafficking, assault with a deadly weapon, kidnapping, child abuse and robbery.
The baby was placed in the custody of child welfare personnel.
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