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- Ky’Air Thomas, one of the twins who were abducted last month, has died, police said.
- Officers responded to a report of an unresponsive baby on Saturday.
- An investigation is ongoing, authorities said.
One of the twin Ohio infants whose abduction last month prompted a public outpouring of support was pronounced dead this weekend, local news reported.
Officers on Saturday night responded to a call at around 11 p.m. of an unresponsive 6-month-old baby, identified as Ky’Air Thomas, a spokesperson for the Columbus Division of Police told Insider.
The baby was transported to a local children’s hospital “in life-threatening condition” where he was pronounced dead just before midnight, the spokesperson said.
An investigation is underway and an autopsy is set for Monday to determine the cause of death, according to police and local news reports.
The child’s mother, Wilhelmina Barnett, released a brief statement on her Instagram story, stating that Ky’Air “had a seizure,” The Columbus Dispatch reported.
“We don’t know what caused it. Please let me grieve,” the post said. “Ky’Air, we are nothing without you.”
Ky’Air and his brother Kason were kidnapped last month after Barnett left them in her black 2010 Honda while she picked up a Door Dash order from a pizzeria in Columbus, Ohio. Ky’Air was located hours later, about 70 miles away, at the Dayton International Airport.
Police said his twin, Kason, was found days later inside the vehicle near a Papa John’s in Indianapolis, Insider previously reported. Two women, Mecka Curry and Shyann Delmar were instrumental in helping law enforcement track down the baby and suspect, Nalah Jackson. She was taken into custody and was charged with charged her with two counts of kidnapping.
Speaking to WSYX, Wilma Booker, the aunt of Barnett, said that Ky’Air’s death has been devastating for the family and emphasized that Barnett is “a really good mom.”
“She loves her babies. I don’t want people to judge her like they did last time. I just want that to be known. I’m like in a state of shock for real, I’m devastated, I’m hurt for Momo. I’m hurt for Chaz the father, I’m hurt for Kason his twin brother because he is a twin, but I’m mostly, mostly, mostly, mostly, worried about Wilhelmina,” Booker told the news station. ” She’s been through so much in the way of social media and everybody has been treating her. I just don’t want her to take a toll on her and want her to keep being the great mom that she is.”
