RIPLEY, W.Va. — An infant child is okay and had no idea she was in the middle of a carjacking and kidnapping Thursday night in Jackson County.
The baby was in the backseat of a car sleeping while her mother went into the Ripley Econo Lodge to book a room. Another adult, the child’s grandmother, was keeping an eye on the sleeping baby, but was also out of the car. Ripley Police Captain Brad Anderson told MetroNews Affiliate WMOV Radio in Ravenswood, the running motor was an opportunity for a woman passing by.
“An unknown female got into the car since the keys were in it and took off with the car, not knowing there was a child in the car,” said Anderson. “That’s when we started calling people out and started looking for the missing child.”
A frantic search followed with an all points bulletin over the police radio and a blast spread across social media. It wasn’t long before the move paid off and police were led to the Hot Spot in Ripley. A patron of the establishment who had learned of the incident via Facebook noticed the vehicle.
“He called 911 and that’s when all of our officers responded to the Hot Spot,” Anderson explained. “That’s where we located the stolen vehicle, the baby in the back seat, and in control of the vehicle was Amanda Brotherton who we placed under arrest.”
Brotherton, 34, is jailed on charges of child abduction. She will also face charges involving theft of the vehicle and child endangerment according to Anderson. The child was not harmed.
“Luckily, the one year old slept through the whole deal,”Anderson said. “We kept watch on the one-year old until family could get on scene to get her. She slept through the whole incident.”