A mother in Gwinnett County, allegedly aided by her adult daughter, is accused of kidnapping her two younger children after punching a state employee at a trampoline park during a court-mandated supervised visit.
Starlita Moore, 41, and Teisha Schulters, 19, are both charged with kidnapping after they were taken into custody in Alabama several days after the incident, Gwinnett police said in a statement. The two younger children have been placed in the custody of the Georgia Division of Family and Children Services after they were recovered from Moore and Schulters.
The incident began Friday at the Altitude trampoline park at Sugarloaf Mills in Lawrenceville, police said. A DFCS employee called 911 to report that Moore had kidnapped the kids during the visit, the statement said.
Security video footage appears to show Moore and the DFCS employee talking near the trampoline park exit before Moore strikes the employee in the head. Another woman who was not identified by police can be seen consoling the DFCS employee as she holds her face. The footage shows two women, identified as Moore and Schulters, grabbing the two children and rushing them out of the front doors.
According to police, Moore continued to assault the employee in the parking lot as Schulters put the kids into a Chrysler 300. They drove away before police responded.
Police have not said how long Moore and Schulters were at large with the children, but the women were ultimately arrested after being pulled over by the Alabama Highway Patrol. Officials did not say where they were found in Alabama. Jail records show that both women were booked into the Gwinnett jail Wednesday evening.
Moore and Schulters each face two counts of kidnapping and interstate interference with custody, according to jail records. Moore also faces charges of battery, simple battery and third-degree cruelty to children.
Police said they are continuing to investigate and have asked for the public’s help in gathering more details.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Gwinnett police detectives at 770-513-5300. Those who would like to remain anonymous may contact Crime Stoppers by calling 404-577-TIPS (8477) or visiting stopcrimeATL.com. Crime Stoppers tipsters can receive a cash reward for information leading to an arrest and indictment in this case.
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