A Columbus woman accused of kidnapping infant twins outside a Short North restaurant has been indicted by a federal grand jury.
Nalah Jackson, 24, was indicted on two counts of kidnapping a minor.
According to Columbus police, on the night of Dec. 19, Jackson stole a vehicle from outside a Donato's Pizza restaurant on North High Street near 1st Avenue while 5-month-old twins Kasan and Kyair Thomas were inside the vehicle.
Police said the twins' mother left the children inside a running car when she went into the restaurant to pick up a Door Dash order. When she came out of the restaurant, the vehicle was gone.
Kyair Thomas was later safely recovered after he was left at the Dayton International Airport parking lot. Kasan Thomas was found safe near a Papa John's restaurant in Indianapolis.
Jackson was also taken into custody in Indianapolis, where she is waiting to be extradited back to Columbus.
U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker said, "Those federal charges will supersede her current state charge of kidnapping. Protection of our youth is vital and ensuring the safe return of the children in this case was paramount. Now, as we move into the accountability phase of this incident, I can assure you that my office will continue to work with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners in Ohio and Indiana to fully investigate the matter.”
In addition to the kidnapping case, Jackson was previously charged by Gahanna police over accusations that she threatened to take a baby boy she gave birth to while harassing the couple that was in the process of adopting him.
