Mother, 2 men denied pre-trial release in child kidnapping case

CHICAGO (WGN) – A Chicago mother charged in the kidnapping of her own daughter made her first court appearance Saturday, along with the two men accused of helping her.

All three suspects were denied pre-trial release. They have since been identified as the child’s own mother, 22-year-old Angelique Mobley, her boyfriend, 33-year-old Lamon Weathers, and his cousin, 27-year-old Matthew Price.

WGN-TV spoke with the child’s paternal grandmother on Wednesday, the day of the kidnapping. She did not want to be identified for fear of her safety, but said Mobley did not have custody of the child and a judge had granted her an emergency order of protection against Mobley.

“So at this point, I just want my grandbaby, and I want her in jail because I’m scared she’s going to hurt my grandbaby,” the child’s grandmother said on Wednesday.

According to police, the three suspects broke into the grandmother’s apartment in the 4800 bock of South Michigan Avenue. They then kidnapped the child, stole the grandmother’s car and other property.

Police said the child was safely located at around 8 p.m. Wednesday.

During Saturday’s court appearance, the judge was boggled after learning of some of the jobs the suspects had.

Price was described as a full-time babysitter, while Weathers was described as an associated pastor at his church and also reportedly worked as a security guard. He had just pled guilty to felony assault earlier this month and has seven other felony convictions on his record, according to court documents.

Meanwhile, Mobley was on pre-trial release for retail theft. There was also a warrant for her arrest on a second retail theft case, according to investigators.

Prosecutors said after the kidnapping, Mobley and Weathers took the child to Central Illinois and dropped her off at the Danville home of one of Weather’s relatives.

However, the relative later saw a news alert on the endangered child and called police.

Chicago police said Mobley and Weathers were arrested just before 7:30 p.m. Wednesday in the 6300 block of South Kedzie Avenue in the Chicago Lawn neighborhood, while Price was arrested just after midnight Thursday morning in the 1600 block of South Central Park Avenue in North Lawndale.

Prosecutors said Mobley tried to leverage the location of her child in order to be released, unaware she had already been located.

The suspects also reportedly left a trial of evidence behind, including a Facebook Live video where Mobley made statements that she planned to kidnap her daughter.

Mobley has been charged with kidnapping, residential burglary and child abduction; Weathers has been charged with aggravated armed kidnapping and home invasion, while Price has been charged with aggravated armed kidnapping, home invasion and possession of a stolen vehicle.