UPDATE: Rock Island police announced on Jan. 30 following an investigation that a 4-year-old girl who was reported to be kidnapped in an auto theft had never gone missing. An arrest warrant has been issued for the girl's mother for filing a false police report, though police said her and her family have appeared to have fled the area.
Kidnapping charges against the suspects involved have been dropped, though charges for possession of a stolen vehicle will remain. Original story below.
A string of auto thefts led to the kidnapping of a 4-year-old girl in Rock Island, triggering a statewide Amber Alert and ending with the arrests of five suspects, police said.
Five people were arrested Thursday in connection with nearby auto thefts and the kidnapping of a 4-year-old girl in Rock Island that led to a statewide Amber Alert, police said.
Among the five arrested, four are under the age of 18, authorities said.
Police said 4-year-old Blessing J. Aoci was inside a brown Saturn Outlook driven by her mother at around 6:07 a.m. in the 1300 block of 14th 1/2 Street when it was stolen, with Blessing left inside.
The vehicle was located unoccupied by police approximately 14 minutes later in the area of 8th Street and 15th Avenue, officials said.
Numerous law enforcement agencies assisted in the search for Blessing as a command post was established in the area of 15th Street and 15th Avenue. Searches then narrowed in on where the vehicle Blessing was inside was stolen, with voluntary searches on neighboring property conducted as well, authorities said.
According to officials, Blessing was located in the area at approximately 2:53 p.m. in "apparent good health" and was reunited with her mother before being transported to a local hospital for a medical evaluation.
Eighteen-year-old Jaron Bailey-Harris was charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and possession of a stolen vehicle, authorities said.
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Additionally, three minors were charged with possession of a stolen vehicle while another minor, a 16-year-old, was charged with kidnapping and possession of a stolen vehicle, police said.
The incident remains under investigation by Rock Island police.
