Mother, family of missing Columbus infant search in Dayton: ‘Bring my baby home.’

Credit: Marshall Gorby

Credit: Marshall Gorby

The mother of a missing 5-month-old boy who was kidnapped in Columbus on Monday night came to the Dayton-area with friends and family to search for her son.

Kason Thomas was in his mother’s black 2010 Honda Accord with his twin brother, Ky’air, when 24-year-old Nalah T. Jackson reportedly stole the vehicle outside a Columbus Donatos Pizza.

The boys’ mother, Wilhelmina Barnett, was going inside the restaurant to pick up a Door Dash order and left the car running, according to Columbus police.

Nearly seven hours later, around 4:15 a.m. Tuesday, a passenger at the Dayton International Airport found Ky’air in a car seat in the economy parking lot. As of Wednesday afternoon, police have not found Kason nor Jackson.

Barnett came to the Dayton-area Wednesday to continue the search for her baby.

“I just want to let Kason know we’re looking for him,” she said. “He will come home today. I’m speaking it into existence.”

In a press conference on Wednesday afternoon, Columbus Division of Police Chief Elaine Bryant said that law enforcement still have not found Jackson, Kason, or the stolen car.

Bryant asked anyone with possible information to call the Columbus Police tip line at 614-645-4701, the FBI tip line at 1-800-CALL-FBI, or by calling 911 if something is happening at that moment.

Barnett, who lives in Columbus, is not familiar with the Dayton area and has been searching shelters, places with big parking lots such as Walmart and areas with low-income housing.

Columbus police identified Jackson as a Columbus woman, and Dayton police reported she has ties to the Riverside area.

Barnett said she doesn’t know Jackson, but her aunt grew up with Jackson’s father. Jackson also has family in Chicago, Barnett added.

The mother said she hopes Jackson isn’t traveling with her son or has left the state. However, she asked people in the Chicago area to keep an eye out for a black 2010 Honda Accord with a missing bumper and busted left tail light that still works.

Columbus police announced Wednesday a BOLO alert, or be on the lookout, has been issued in Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

Chelsea Mitchell, who is Kason’s cousin, said she has been in the Miami Valley region since she got off work at 7 a.m. She’s helped search in Englewood, Trotwood, Huber Heights and Dayton.

“I’m just praying and searching and trying to hope that we can find baby Kason and get him home safe to his mother,” she said.

Mitchell added they’re thankful for everyone who has helped search for the infant and are keeping an eye out for him.

“We just want everybody to stay positive,” she said. “We are going to find baby Kason today.”

When asked if she had anything she wanted to say to Jackson, Barnett asked for her son back.

“Bring my baby home,” she said. “I’m not at mad at you. … Just bring him home. I won’t call the police. If they find you then that’s on you and them. I just want my baby.”

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