A 22-year-old female suspect has been arrested in the case of the abducted three-year-old Ahlora Lindiment after the child was found and reunited with her family in Greensboro, North Carolina.
On Friday evening, the suspect, 22-year-old, N’denezsia Monique Lancaster, was apprehended and reportedly charged with first-degree kidnapping along with another unrelated assault charge.
The amber alert has been revoked. No further details have been provided at this time.
“At the end of a very long day, this is a very positive conclusion for us,” Police Chief Wayne Scott said during a press conference near the steps outside the Greensboro Police station. “I’ve got 30 years of law enforcement. Very seldom do we have this good of an outcome,” WSOCTV reported.
Meanwhile, Ahlora’s parents were filled with “obvious jubilation,” Scott said and added, “the parents had been on the edge for multiple hours. They were elated they were able to reunite with their child.”
The step-mom, Shatana Wallace, uploaded a heartwarming video shot at the hospital where Ahlora was taken to for medical investigation. Wallace thanked the police and the community who helped bring her baby back home.
“We want to thank everybody for helping us look for her,” Wallace said, giving Ahlora Lindiment a kiss on the cheek.
“Mommy, I want to go home,” Ahlora said.
“I’m just so glad my baby was found,” Wallace added.
Ahlora Ashanti-Sample Lindiment was found on Thursday at 8:18 p.m., walking alone nearby the Words of Faith Christian Center at 719 Dillard Street.
The church is at about four miles from the playground where Ahlora was last seen. A woman, reportedly, saw the toddler walking and notified the police.
Scott also thanked the Greensboro community for its support: “We had community members here that were helping that worked with our officers,” Scott said according to the outlet. “I couldn’t be more pleased with the outpouring of support.”
“The obvious thing we need to do here, is find this individual, determine what was the motive, what were the issues, and take our action up to and including any charges that may be relevant,” Scott added. “We want to find this individual and get them off the streets.”
Ahlora’s elder sister, Toni Blackburn, posted another video and claimed Lancaster was assisted by a man who picked her up from a bus stop, The Daily Mail reported.
On Thursday, police had released a surveillance still of Lancaster carrying shopping bags in what appears to be a shop.
They also said Lancaster was spotted near the playground between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. on Wednesday, behaving suspiciously, just before Blackburn allegedly took Ahlora with her, the newspaper said.
There is no known relation between the family and the alleged abductor, according to the police.
