Sisters Found Safe
Two young sisters found safe after abduction by babysitter with prior kidnapping charges.
Two young sisters abducted by their babysitter have been found safe in the Atlanta area, according to WGXA. Zola Cooper, 4, and Norah Cooper, just 11 months old, were recovered from a trailer after a multi-agency search. Their babysitter, Lakesha Brown, is now in custody.
The case took a darker turn when investigators linked Brown to a prior kidnapping. In August 2021, she was charged with first-degree kidnapping after allegedly taking a 4-day-old boy from a home in Fairfield, Alabama, according to Local 12.
Sisters Recovered from Trailer After Urgent Search
Atlanta police, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, and the FBI all joined the search for the two girls. The large, coordinated effort paid off when officers found Zola and Norah inside a trailer in the Atlanta area, according to FOX 17. Both girls were taken to a medical facility to be checked out by doctors.
The Atlanta Police Department confirmed Brown's identity as the girls' babysitter. She was known to the family before the abduction. Authorities have not yet released details on how or when the kidnapping took place, or what led Brown to take the children.
Babysitter Charged in 2021 Alabama Infant Kidnapping
Brown is not new to law enforcement. Five years ago, she was accused of kidnapping a 4-day-old baby boy from a home in Fairfield, Alabama, according to KMPH. She faced a first-degree kidnapping charge in that case. It is unclear how she was able to work as a babysitter after that incident.
The connection to the prior case raises serious questions about background checks and how Brown came to care for the two Cooper sisters. Investigators have not publicly said whether the two kidnapping cases are connected beyond Brown's involvement.
Multiple Law Enforcement Agencies Worked the Case
The search for Zola and Norah pulled in resources from several agencies. Atlanta police units, the GBI, and the FBI all worked together to find the girls, according to WACH. That level of response signals how seriously officials treated the case from the start.
Multi-agency efforts like this are common in child abduction cases. The FBI gets involved when a kidnapping may cross state lines or when local resources need backup. The quick recovery of both children suggests the joint operation moved fast.
Girls Safe as Investigation Into Brown Continues
Both Zola and Norah Cooper were taken to a medical facility after their recovery. Authorities have not released details on their condition, but they were described as safe, according to Local 12. No information has been released about what the girls experienced during the abduction.
Brown remains in custody. Formal charges in connection with this case have not yet been publicly announced. Investigators are expected to release more information as the case moves forward. The girls' family has not made any public statements.
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