Newly released surveillance video shows what happened before a baby was kidnapped from the King of Prussia mall. NBC10’s George Spencer has more on the video and what lesson it offers.
Newly released surveillance video shows the kidnapping of an infant from his distracted mother's care at the King of Prussia Mall this spring.
The incident sparked a frantic search for the child who was found at a Montgomery County woman's apartment five hours after he was taken.
Cherie Amoore, the alleged kidnapper, faces a formal arraignment on kidnapping charges later this month.
The six-minute video, which was released by a Montgomery County judge after a petition by NBC10, shows the kidnapper, identified as Amoore by prosecutors, befriending the boy's mother outside a mall jewelry store on March 31.
The mother, Malika Hunter, who had the infant and her 2-year-old boy with her that day, ventured to a mall food court with Amoore. Eventually, Amoore picks up the 7-week-old baby while the mother is tending to her older son.
"She was so polite," Hunter said of Amoore. "Nice, calm and energetic. Like the normal, average person."
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Amoore holds the baby for some time before quickly walking away from the mother. Cameras show her walking through the mall and out an entrance with the child.
The video underscores how quickly a kidnapping can take place.
The mall was locked down, an Amber Alert was issued, police stopped and searched SEPTA buses as they left the Upper Merion shopping destination. The baby was located at Amoore's home in Tredyffrin Township around 10:30 p.m. that night.
Investigators said Amoore told them she recently gave birth to a baby boy, but he died. That claim has not been verified, but Hunter said Amoore told her she was a mother.
Amoore has not entered a plea in the case. She is out on $500,000 bail.
