The Aug. 17 bodycam footage shows Atlanta officers forcing entry into a locked, un-air-conditioned trailer and rescuing four-year-old Zola Cooper and 11-month-old Norah Cooper. The children were found with their alleged kidnapper, babysitter Lakesha Shanta Brown, who was detained at the scene. Authorities described the trailer as "unclean and unsuitable for human habitation," and the children were taken to a hospital for evaluation. Investigators located the trailer after a detective heard a baby crying and later learned Brown had an outstanding warrant in Alabama.
Bodycam Captures Dramatic Rescue Of Two Sisters From 'Unclean' Trailer After Babysitter Allegedly Kidnapped Them
Credit: Fulton County Sheriff's Office; City of Atlanta Police Department/Facebook; City of Atlanta Police Department/Facebook
New body-worn camera footage released by Atlanta police shows the tense moments officers forced entry into a locked, un-air-conditioned trailer and found two young sisters and the woman accused of taking them.
What happened: On Aug. 17, officers discovered four-year-old Zola Cooper and her 11-month-old sister, Norah Cooper, inside the trailer with Lakesha Shanta Brown, who is now charged in connection with their alleged abduction. The bodycam video captures officers shouting commands, removing the crying children, and detaining Brown.
Video highlights:
"Show me your hands!" an officer shouts as the trailer door is opened. Moments later another officer yells, "Kids, we have kids' hands!" and orders the woman to surrender. An officer can be heard warning, "Don't move or I will shoot you," before the children are removed from the trailer.
Authorities later described the unit as "unclean and unsuitable for human habitation." The sisters were taken to a children's hospital for medical evaluation and welfare checks; Brown was taken into custody.
Investigation details
According to an arrest affidavit obtained by investigators, Brown and the children’s mother, Elica Redding, met roughly a year earlier on a Facebook group for expectant mothers. Brown offered babysitting services and earned Redding’s trust. On Aug. 15, Redding agreed to let Brown watch Zola and Norah; Brown allegedly told the mother she planned to take the children to Walmart and a place she called "Candy Utopia." (Investigators note that the immersive pop-up Candytopia closed in Atlanta in 2022, and there are no listings for a business called "Candy Utopia" in the area.)
When Brown failed to return the children at the agreed meeting spot — Redding’s grandmother’s home on James P. Brawley Drive NW — Redding began calling. Brown first offered excuses for being late, then allegedly told Redding she had been in an accident, said she did not have the children, and claimed "they are at DFCS." Child welfare officials and local hospitals had no record of the children, and Brown stopped responding to messages.
Detectives later learned Brown had an active failure-to-appear warrant in Alabama related to a separate kidnapping case. Investigators located the trailer after an Atlanta police fugitive detective, while checking vehicles and a tow trailer in a parking lot, heard a baby crying from inside and moved in to investigate. The bodycam footage documents the discovery and rescue on Aug. 17.
Current Status
Brown was arrested and charged in the case. Per the affidavit, she allegedly admitted she should have returned the children when asked. The two sisters remain under medical and welfare evaluation while the investigation continues.
Note: Authorities have not released additional details about potential motives or further charges. Investigations into the circumstances and any wider safety concerns are ongoing.
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