Woman Allegedly Posed as Baby Photographer, Drugged New Mom to Steal Child
Police in Washington state arrested a woman and a 16-year-old minor Friday after they allegedly posed as baby photographers and drugged a new mother to steal her 14-week-old newborn.
Juliette Parker, 38, was arrested on charges of assault and attempted kidnapping, KHQ reports. The minor was also taken into custody and booked into juvenile detention.
Parker was released from custody after posting $50,000 bail, according to KHQ. It is unclear if the minor has also been released.
Parker is scheduled to appear in court Tuesday, KHQ reports.
According to KOAA, Parker was a candidate for mayor in 2019 in Colorado Springs and touted affordable housing and solutions to homelessness as campaign issues.
Parker was arrested at her home in Spanaway. Nine days before the arrest, on Feb. 5, the new mom called 911 saying she was vomiting and feeling numb, drowsy and unstable on her feet. The new mom told dispatchers she believed Parker had drugged her when she came to her home to pose as a baby photographer, the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department said in a press release obtained by PEOPLE.
The alleged victim told police that she met Parker on a Facebook group for newborn mothers after Parker advertised that she would take free photos of newborn babies in the hopes of building her portfolio.
Parker allegedly came to the alleged victim’s home three times.
“The suspect was observed taking cell phone selfies with the victim’s baby and was seen wiping her fingerprints off items she touched inside the victim’s home,” police said in the press release.
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At the end of the last photo shoot, the minor suspect allegedly gave the victim a cupcake. The woman later told police that she began to immediately feel numb and drowsy. She allegedly told the pair to leave and discovered that Parker had taken her house keys.
Police allege that Parker’s plan was to steal the newborn and raise it as her own child.
Police said they found other alleged victims during the investigation.
Officials are asking anyone who’s been contacted by a woman posing as a photographer named “Juliette Parker,” “Juliette Noel” or “Juliette Gains” to call to detectives at 253-798-7724.
