A Nevada woman is accused of trying to kidnap a 3-week-old baby on Monday by posing as a Child Protective Services worker.
On Wednesday, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Captain Nichole Splinter said Joanna Boyd, 39, was arrested after she called police “as she performed an emergency removal order of a newborn child.” Once there, police said Boyd provided officers with a suspicious story and fraudulent documents.
“She was actually brazen enough to place that call and have Metro with her, which would probably have made it look much simpler to the family to go there and attempt to remove this child,” Splinter said, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Police said Boyd failed to present proper Clark County employee identification and officers learned she was driving a vehicle stolen out of Southern California, according to KNTV.
The news station reported that the newborn’s parents didn’t personally know Boyd and only talked with her via social media about buying baby clothes. Boyd—a convicted felon from California—is believed to have gotten additional information about the parents through correspondence and their social media accounts.
“From what she told to us originally is that she planned on keeping the baby because her children were taken from her at some point,” Splinter said, according to KSNV.
The Review-Journal noted that it’s normal for officers to accompany CPS workers when they’re removing a child from the home, as the situation could become violent. However, the officers who responded in this instance became suspicious of Boyd and reportedly called the agency to verify her employment.
Boyd is charged with forgery, attempt kidnapping, possession of a stolen vehicle, impersonating a public officer, and possession of a stun gun/device by a felon.
“The safety of our children and youth in foster care is paramount,” CPS wrote in a statement issued in light of Monday’s incident. “We urge all parents to ask questions if they have any doubt as to whether or not they are speaking to a family services employee.”
[Featured image: Joanna Boyd/Clark County Detention Center]
