Woman Charged with Abducting 1-Month-Old-Baby, Cops

Police found the infant in a gangway on the 6800 block of South Ridgeland Avenue

A missing 1-month-old baby is back at home and her abductor, an 18-year-old woman, has been charged with abducting and abandoning the child.

"The baby's family was very elated," said Chicago Police Officer Paula Guice during a press conference Saturday morning.

T'Keyah Williams, of the 7300 block of South Yates Boulevard, was charged with one felony count of aggravated kidnapping and one misdemeanor count of endangering the life and health of a child, according to the release from police News Affairs.

Grand Crossing District officers located Williams and the missing baby while responding to a report of a missing baby in the 1600 block of East 74th Street Tuesday morning. Further investigation revealed Williams was the last person seen with the baby and the infant's belongings were missing, said police officer Naomi Gibson.

Police issued a flash message with a description of Williams and the baby, the release stated. The message prompted officers at the scene to search the area.

After nearly five hours of searching in 32 degree weather, Gibson said she heard the baby's cries coming from a gangway on the 6800 block of South Ridgeland Avenue and spotted a white garbage bag full of pink baby clothes. The team of officers looked around the bag and found the baby in car seat covered with a blanket, said Gibson.

The baby was then taken to University of Chicago Hospital for evaluation.

Grand Crossing Officers continued the investigation to find Williams, who was brought to Area Central headquarters and charged, the release said.

Williams denies ever taking the child, said Guice.

Police said that Williams took the infant to pretend the baby girl belonged to her and her boyfriend, who had been arrested and charged with a felony drug possession.

She was a friend of the mother's sister and was staying at their house during the time of abduction, police said. Williams allegedly took the baby while a relative was asleep.

Police believe she was hoping the baby could evoke sympathy from her boyfriend's judge and lower his bond sentence, but then changed her mind.

“Grand Crossing Officers were prompt, thorough, and relentless in their investigation,” stated Grand Crossing Commander Glenn Evans in a press release. “The commendable efforts of these officers ultimately led to the successful resolution of a situation fraught with danger.”

Williams is scheduled to appear in bond court next week.

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