WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — A metro Atlanta woman is accused of orchestrating a kidnapping that sparked a multi-state search for a missing 6-month-old baby before the child was found safe just hours later.
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The Federal Bureau of Investigation in Indianapolis says Jasmine O’Sullivan, 22, of Lawrenceville, is facing a kidnapping charge in connection with the July 30 disappearance of Baby Adalyn from West Lafayette, Ind.
Investigators say the case began long before the child vanished.
According to West Lafayette police, O’Sullivan spent days gaining the trust of the baby’s mother while posing as someone else. Authorities believe she used the identity of an uninvolved person to build a relationship with the mother and ultimately carry out the kidnapping.
Police were called around 5:47 p.m. after the child was reported missing. Investigators quickly determined O’Sullivan had left Indiana with the child, prompting a search involving local, state and federal agencies.
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A tip from a member of the public helped investigators piece together O’Sullivan’s movements. Authorities eventually tracked her to the Louisville, Kentucky, area.
About five hours after the baby was reported missing, officers found Baby Adalyn and safely recovered her. The child was reunited with her family shortly afterward.
O’Sullivan was taken into custody.
The FBI said O’Sullivan has been charged federally with kidnapping. Additional charges could be filed as the investigation continues.
Authorities have not said what may have motivated the alleged abduction. The investigation remains active.
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