The search for 5-month-old Kason Thomas has come to an end after the baby was located safely in Indianapolis.
The terrifying ordeal began on Monday, December 19th, when Wilhelmina Burnett was out DoorDashing in Columbus, Ohio, with her twin sons, Kason and Ky’air, in the car. When she went inside Donato’s to pick up an order at around 9:45 p.m., suspect Nalah Jackson walked out of the restaurant and jumped in the driver seat of Burnett’s 2010 Honda Accord. She sped off with the babies still strapped in the backseat. An issue with the car description and missing tag information delayed the Amber Alert, which was not sent out until several hours later. Jackson dropped off Ky’air at Dayton International Airport early Tuesday morning but, for unknown reasons, kept Kason.
On Thursday, 24-year-old Jackson was apprehended in Indianapolis, but Kason was not with her, causing more panic as people began to fear the worse. Thankfully, he was found shortly after her arrest inside his mother’s stolen vehicle in the 900 block of Indiana Avenue, outside a Papa John’s restaurant. He was located in good health but was taken to a local hospital for evaluation.
Kason’s paternal grandmother, LaFonda Thomas, says the family is “elated” that the infant was found alive after a tense search.
Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant, who’d also been pleading for the baby’s return, also expressed her gratitude to the public who kept his story in the media while searching relentlessly for him despite heavy snowfall.
“We are grateful to the public for their help throughout this investigation and for the tireless work of our officers and our many partner agencies,” she said during a statement after Kason was found.
Jackson is now facing two counts of kidnapping charges.
