A Columbus, Ohio, woman is facing 20 years in prison after admitting to kidnapping two infant twins she ultimately abandoned, federal prosecutors said Wednesday.
Nalah T. Jackson, 25, stole a car from a pizzeria parking lot and drove away with the five-month-old twins in the back seat in December 2022, according to a news release from the US Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of Ohio.
“There is no greater responsibility than protecting our youth,” US Attorney Kenneth L. Parker said in the release. “This community watched in horror as Nalah Jackson preyed on two vulnerable babies. Today, she admitted her crime and agreed to spend 20 years in prison for her actions.”
Jackson pleaded guilty to two counts of kidnapping a minor, prosecutors said.
The children’s mother, Wilhelmina Thomas, had left her black Honda Accord running while she picked up a restaurant order close to 10 p.m. on December 19. When she returned, the car, and her children, were gone.
For several hours, Jackson drove around western Ohio with the two infants in the back seat. She arrived at the Dayton International Airport around 3 a.m., went inside but then forgot where she had parked. After finding the stolen car, Jackson left one of the infants in the parking lot and drove off to Indianapolis with the other still in tow, according to court documents.