The news reports yet another baby taken from his crib in the early morning hours, as his mother sleeps nearby, this time in Enid, Oklahoma. A ransom note left behind, telling the mother not to contact the police if she wants to see her son again. The note demands $200,000 in ransom money left on the sofa that night, with the promise of returning baby unharmed. The note signed by “the kidnappers”.

When Brandon’s mom awoke and found him missing from his bed, Brandon become a statistic, although she did not know that yet. Most kidnapped children know their perpetrator, and Brandon’s kidnappers were closer than anyone could imagine. What Brandon’s mom, Sheila Wells did not know was her kidnapped son, Brandon, was right down the street, houses away.

Baby Brandon’s kidnappers were two girls, sisters, only ten and twelve years old. The girl’s mother noticed the baby in the home. When she began questioning why he was there, the girls said he was wandering in the neighborhood. When the girl’s mom tried to find Sheila Wells phone number to call her, the twelve year old knew the gig was up. The twelve year old ran down to Brandon’s home, telling the boy’s mother her ten-year-old sister kidnapped her son.

Sheila Wells contacted police after getting her baby back safely. Both sisters appeared before a judge Thursday at the Garfield County District Court. The girls now live at the Community Intervention Center for Juveniles, until authorities decide what charges the girls will face. What is happening in our world where two preteen girls design a plan to take a small child and leave a ransom note and expect they could get away with it?

As I wrote the last sentence, I took a break to eat dinner. During that time I watched the late night news and I found the answer to my question staring me in the face. The father of one the preteen girls who kidnapped Brandon Wells tries to explain why the girls did what they did.

He says “Why prosecute two girls who didn’t know no better. It was unfair the girls were arrested for the kidnapping. There’s a lot of kids doing the same thing. They’re getting away with it. It’s not right!” He had an angry affect towards the end of his statements.

I guess we know now why the girls kidnapped the baby boy. Obviously their father holds his daughters to high moral and ethical standards. Thankfully their mother was the one who saw them with the baby. I would hate to think what the father might have done to keep his little girls from going to juvenile.

As a child adolescent RN I often see parents who do not hold themselves or their children accountable for their actions. We have a saying the apple does not always fall far from the tree. In this case I do not think the apples have fallen off the tree. Sadly, through lack of parenting these girls have made bad choices and will likely suffer the effects of their choices for a longtime.

May angels surround Baby Brandon and his mother and keep them safe. May the angels also help guide the girls onto the right path so they may find their way into the light and lead a life of good in the future.