(7-5-07)
Two sisters, ages 10 and 12, redefined the word “kidnapping” early in the morning of July 5’th, when they snuck into a neighbors home and took her 1-year-old son. The girls also took diapers and a stroller, leaving a ransom note demanding $200,000, before making a get-away under the cover of darkness.

“If you want to see your son again, then you won’t call police and report him missing and you will leave $200,000 on the sofa tonight and we will return your son back safe,” the note threatened. Police said it was signed: “the kidnappers.”

The girls ingenious plot was foiled, however, when their mother saw the baby in her house and immediately recognized him as 21-month-old Brandon Wells, the son of her neighbor, Sheila Wells. While the mother was trying to locate their neighbors phone number, the older girl knocked on her neighbors door, and told Wells what was going on, saying it was her younger sister who was responsible for the kidnapping.

The two girls were taken into custody, and police suspect both were involved, though it remains clear which of them organized and masterminded the plot, according to police captain Dean Grassino. Kathy Wells, Brandon’s grandmother, was quoted as saying “I never could dream of a kid doing that.” While it certainly is unusual, the incident isn’t out of the realm of childhood shenanigans gone too far.

Police say the entire drama carried out in less than an hour, based on the girls’ description of events. Brandon’s mother was asleep when her son was taken, and wasn’t aware he was missing until she received the knock on the door from the older girl at around 6:00 A.M.

Thankfully, all ended well and the child was returned safely. Hopefully the two girls involved in the kidnapping plot will also escape without police and social workers inflicting too much unnecessary injury on them. We can only hope that they heal from this incident, and will turn this episode of bad judgment into a valuable lesson.