Atlanta police have issued an Amber Alert for two young sisters, Zola Cooper, 4, and her 11-month-old sister Norah, who are believed to have been abducted by their babysitter. The girls were last seen on Saturday, August 15, at approximately 6 p.m. near Jones Avenue NW and James P Brawley Drive NW.
Authorities have listed both children as critically missing and may be in extreme danger. The babysitter has been identified as Lakesha Brown. Police confirmed they suspect she is the same woman arrested for kidnapping in Jefferson County, Alabama, in 2021.
Zola is described as approximately 3 feet 9 inches tall, weighing about 42 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing a multicolor dress. Her younger sister, Norah, is approximately 2 feet tall, weighing about 28 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. Norah is missing her index and middle fingers on her right hand. She was last seen wearing a pink onesie.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has issued an alert for a 2009 white Ford F350 pickup truck with Alabama license plate number 1C087Y4, which is believed to be connected to the abduction.
A family friend told Fox 5 News that the girls' mother, Elica Redding, was using the babysitter, described as an acquaintance, for the first time. The babysitter allegedly told the mother she planned to take the children to Walmart and a candy store and would return them by 10 p.m.
When the babysitter failed to return the children at the agreed-upon time and stopped responding to calls and texts, Redding reported them missing to the police.
Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of the children or the vehicle is urged to contact the Atlanta Police Department's Special Victims Unit at 404-546-4260 or Crime Stoppers at 404-577-8477.