Editor’s note: Previous reporting stated Lakesha Brown would be making her first appearance on Thursday. This information has been changed to reflect the indictment previously occurred.

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — A woman accused of kidnapping two little girls after befriending their mother was indicted for the alleged crimes on Wednesday night.

Lakesha Brown, 42, was arrested on Aug. 17 after police found her in a tow trailer outside an Atlanta apartment complex with two children at the center of an Amber Alert. She is charged with kidnapping and cruelty to children.

The girls — 11-month-old Norah and 4-year-old Zola — had been reported missing the day before by their mother, who said she befriended Brown online. Elica Redding said Brown offered to come over and do Redding’s hair.

“She became a family friend from when I first met her on a mom group, and she posted about giving free services for expecting moms. That’s how I met her, and after that we just started hanging,” Redding said.

According to arrest warrants, Redding agreed to let Brown babysit the girls on a Saturday night. Brown told the mother she was taking the girls to Walmart and Candy Utopia, but failed to show up at a designated grandmother’s house afterward.

Brown is no stranger to the authorities. In 2025, she was charged with obstruction after reportedly lying about being pregnant during an investigation. She also has an outstanding warrant from a 2021 arrest in Alabama for allegedly kidnapping a 4-day-old baby after posing as a babysitter on social media.

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