PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) – A Pinellas County woman is behind bars after deputies say she left her child home alone while attempting to kidnap her neighbor’s child.
Detectives say, Hannah Braun, 28, left her home at 2 a.m. on Aug. 18 in an attempt to kidnap her neighbor’s child.
Around 2:15 in the morning, a ring doorbell camera captured Braun knocking on the door. She eventually enters the home and tries to snatch the 9-month old child from his 12-year old sister’s arms.
According to an arrest affidavit, Braun opened the front door and attempted to take the child out of the neighbor’s arms. According to the St. Petersburg Police Department, a struggle ensued and the parent of the child was able to get away from Braun and contact authorities.
Amber, who didn’t want to give her last name, is the children’s mother.
“She’s standing in my living room, talking about, yah, I’m just here to get the baby. I’m trying to protect the baby,” said Amber. “I’m like protect the baby? Why are you in my house. “
Moments earlier, Thelma Reynolds, who lives nearby, says Braun also entered her home and tried to take her 1-year old grandson.
“She wanted the baby. She said she was taking care of babies here. And that’s what she wanted,” said Reynolds. “She wanted this baby. “
A St. Petersburg Police spokeswoman says Braun lives nearby, but the victims in this case did not personally know her. She added, that a motive for these crimes remains unknowns. It’s also unclear, according to the arrest report, if drugs or alcohol were factors.
Once police arrived and took Braun into custody, they learned she had left two young children home alone. While a spokeswoman wouldn’t reveal what the relationship of Braun is to the children, the arrest report indicates one of the children stated “she lost her mommy” and was scared.
Amber may be an adult, but is also scared. “I don’t want to live here anymore. I don’t feel safe. It’s not a good feeling at all,” said Amber. “A random person can like, come to your house and literally take your child out of your house?”
She also feels for the children Braun left home alone. “If you’re coming in here and trying to take my baby, there’s no telling what you’re doing to your own kids and how your own kids mental state is after all this trauma they experienced,” said Amber. “I can only imagine the trauma they experience on a regular basis.”
Police say Braun did not cooperate with police and did not provide a post Miranda statement.
Braun is currently facing charges of attempted kidnapping, burglary with assault or battery, child abuse, and two counts of neglect of a child without great bodily harm and is in jail on $145,000 bond.