Columbus Division of Police Chief Elaine Bryant provided a second update Wednesday after an AMBER Alert was issued for a set of twin infant boys who were abducted Monday night outside a restaurant in the Short North.
Bryant says two charges of kidnapping have been filed against 24-year-old Nalah Jackson, who police say stole a vehicle from outside a Donato's Pizza restaurant on North High St. near 1st Ave. Monday around 9:45 p.m. Police say the twins' mother left the children inside a running car when she went into the restaurant to pick up a Door Dash order. When she came out of the restaurant, the car was gone.
Community members also held a prayer vigil on Wednesday pleading for the safe return of Kason Thomas, the twin who is still missing. A statewide AMBER alert is still active for the boy. Alerts have also been issued to five neighboring states, according to Bryant. Police say they have been following several leads regarding possible sightings.
According to police, one of the missing twins was recovered Tuesday morning at the Dayton airport, when he was spotted by a traveler. The child is believed to have been left at the airport by Jackson. She did not know the mother or the twins. Police say Jackson is believed to be homeless. Officers have searched multiple homeless camps around Columbus searching for her and the baby.
Kason Thomas is Black with brown, curly hair. The stolen car is a black, four-door 2010 Honda Accord that's missing a front bumper and has a white "Westside City Toys" bumper sticker on the back of the car. The car was recently purchased and does not have a license plate, according to police.
Police did not provide a description of what Thomas was wearing when he was abducted.
More than 60 Columbus police officers have been involved in the search, according to Bryant. Several law enforcement agencies in addition to Columbus police are helping with the search, including the Franklin County Sheriff's Office, the Ohio State Highway Patrol, Dayton police, the FBI and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Anyone with information about Jackson or Thomas' location are asked to call 911 or Columbus police at 614-645-4701.
