BND.Com- The Madison Police Department is asking the public for assistance in finding a 17-year-old babysitter suspected of kidnapping a 5-month-old boy. Police on Monday secured a $500,000 aggravated kidnapping warrant from the Madison County State's Attorney's Office for the arrest of Danielle Medina, who is believed to have taken Cortez L. Rose on Saturday, according to Madison Police Chief Steven Shelby.
Officers are also trying to make contact with Medina's boyfriend, Aries Moses, 22, because they believe he has information on her whereabouts.
"We're asking for public assistance because that's the only thing that can help us right now," Shelby said. "People can keep their eyes and ears open near public transportation, hotels or anything like that."
Shelby said police believe Medina may be in the O'Fallon and East St. Louis area, where her boyfriend lives, or on her way to New York, where she resided before moving to the metro-east.
Medina is wanted on an outstanding felony robbery and grand larceny warrant in New York where she has previously been convicted of child endangerment, Shelby said.
Details of the conviction were not immediately available, but police said she fled the charge in New York.
Police in New York are also looking for Medina's boyfriend, Moses, who also is wanted for felony robbery and grand larceny and had fled the state.
Medina has been staying with Moses in East St. Louis after she came to the metro-east about two months ago. She then moved to the residence in Madison for the babysitting job through an acquaintance on Friday, Shelby said.
Moses is not a suspect in the kidnapping, but police wish to talk to him.
"We've been told by some of the family members that he's not going to cooperate," Shelby said. "He's trying to hide from us. We'd just like to speak with him. We know he didn't take the child, but we just think that he might know where the child is and (Medina's) whereabouts."
Cortez's mother, Makeela King, 16, told police that she left her son at home, at 1545 Fifth St. in Madison, with Medina while she shopped for clothes for her son in East St. Louis on Saturday. When King returned home at about 2 p.m., Medina and Cortez were gone.
"When they came back, there was some confusion because the godparents were supposed to have picked up the child," Shelby said.
The family reported Cortez missing at about 1 p.m. on Sunday, and police then issued a S.A.R.A.A. (St. Louis Regional Abduction Alert). An AMBER alert was not issued because Medina does not have a vehicle, Shelby said.
Medina was last seen near a Granite City bus stop at 19th and Edison streets before 5 p.m. Saturday, Shelby said. Granite City police officers made contact with Medina at the time, but she used the alias "Gillyard," and they did not know she was wanted for kidnapping.
Police describe Medina as an African-American woman who is 5 feet tall and weighs 120 pounds. She has a black pony tail with orange and black weave for bangs. She was last seen wearing a long, brown shirt and black leggings, and carrying a large, gray purse. Medina may be pushing the baby in a large, brown and tan stroller.
Cortez is 22 inches long and weighs 20 pounds. He was last seen wearing a red T-shirt and a diaper. He has a birth mark on his right arm near his shoulder and one on his right ankle.
Anyone who has seen Cortez or Medina is asked to call their local police department or the Madison Police Department at 876-4300.
Shelby said he mostly wants the baby to be returned safely.
"We're not even too much concerned with the criminal aspect right now, we just want her to drop the child off at a hospital or a police station, and we'd be happy with that," Shelby said. "I don't know how many diapers she had, how much food she took with her, don't know if she has a place to stay, roof over her head..."
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